The “RESTART” Social Assistance System Reform Through the Eyes of a Child Protection Specialist

The Story of a Child Rights Specialist

For Tatiana Jeverdan, from the city of Fălești, each day is a new opportunity to support those who bring meaning and hope to the future – children. With a warm smile and a strong will, she does everything in her power to fulfill her mission and bring positive change to their lives.

Tatiana is a child rights protection specialist within the Fălești Territorial Social Assistance Structure (TSAS). At 47, she devotes her time and energy to offering children a better future. “This profession is not just a career in child rights protection – it is a calling. Children need a voice to stand up for them,” she says gently.

Her professional journey began in 2013, when she worked as a kindergarten teacher in Chișinău. However, life brought her back to her hometown of Fălești, where, since May 2024, she has been actively engaged in child protection – a field where her passion and commitment are essential, especially in a system undergoing significant reform. “Poverty, unemployment, and disability are just some of the challenges families face. It is crucial to provide integrated and personalized support,” she emphasizes.

Before the “RESTART” Reform

Prior to the implementation of the “RESTART” social assistance reform, support for vulnerable families with children was fragmented and lacked coordination. Beneficiaries were required to contact multiple institutions to receive aid, and the financial support provided was often insufficient and inconsistent.

The lack of community-based social services for children posed a major challenge in preventing threats to their well-being. Although Law No. 140/2013 on the special protection of children at risk and children separated from their parents stipulates that local public authorities of the first level should hire a child rights protection specialist to fulfill the responsibilities of the local guardianship authority, represented by the mayor, such specialists were employed in only 36 municipalities. In the remaining cases, these duties were delegated to the community social assistant, who, due to a heavy workload in other areas, was unable to provide the full range of assistance required to prevent risk situations and family separation.

As a result, the limited number of specialists employed by local authorities had a significant impact on the quality of social services provided to children.

Changes Introduced by the “RESTART” Reform

With the launch of the “RESTART” social assistance reform, the Government of the Republic of Moldova, supported by UNICEF and international partners, significantly improved the quality of social services for socially vulnerable families with children, including those raising children with disabilities. The reform not only increased the accessibility of social services across all localities, but also developed more effective mechanisms for early intervention and personalized support for each family.

As part of the reform, 150 new child protection specialists were employed at the community level, including Tatiana. These specialists were not only integrated into the social assistance system but also received initial and ongoing training to strengthen their professional capacities, enabling them to better respond to the needs of the families they support.

These measures had a substantial impact, effectively contributing to improved quality of social services and the provision of greater, more tailored support for vulnerable families, as well as for children at risk, separated from their parents, or living with disabilities. As a result, between April and December 2024 alone, assistance was provided to 15,888 children from 8,521 families, including 676 refugee children affected by the war in Ukraine.

Throughout 2024, the guardianship authorities registered 14,197 children at risk, while 18,135 children were removed from the risk registry following specialized interventions and resolution of their vulnerable situations. In most cases, these children remained within their biological families. As a result, by the end of 2024, the number of children at risk had decreased to 7,819, representing 1.54% of the total child population at the national level.

In parallel, the reform introduced clearer procedures for case monitoring, enhanced collaboration among professionals, and enabled a faster response in risk situations. In more than 97.5% of the cases, custody was established, and children received care in a substitute family environment, with the necessary conditions for upbringing, education, and support tailored to their individual assistance and development needs.

Another significant result of the reform was a 25.3% decrease in the number of children placed in residential institutions – from 616 to 460 by the end of 2024. This reflects notable progress in the deinstitutionalization of children and their integration into safe and protective family environments. Additionally, there was an 8.4% increase in the number of children cared for in planned family-type placements, such as “Professional Parental Assistance” and “Family-Type Children's Homes.”

Each family now benefits from the support of a dedicated specialist, like Tatiana, who closely monitors their situation and identifies the most suitable solutions for each individual case. Thus, support is no longer limited to financial allowances but also includes personalized social services, psychological counseling, and educational programs for both children and parents.

Today, Tatiana works within a modernized social assistance system made possible by the “RESTART” reform, which, in the area of child rights protection, has been supported by UNICEF and other international partners – the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Government of the United Kingdom through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW).

The reform has fundamentally transformed the way vulnerable families with children are supported, offering more effective and tailored solutions to meet their needs.

“Every family I visit has a unique story, with challenges but also moments of hope. My role is to be there for them, to offer support and ensure they have access to all available resources,” says Tatiana. For her, fieldwork is more than just a professional duty – it is a way to be closer to people, to listen, and to provide tailored solutions.

How the “RESTART” Reform Changed Beneficiaries’ Lives

A concrete example is Irina, a single mother raising her two children alone. Her youngest, Stas, aged 6, was born with a chronic condition and is currently receiving therapy at the “Casa Speranței” Rehabilitation Center for Children with Disabilities in the town of Fălești. Tatiana visits the family regularly to monitor their living conditions and discuss their needs.

Since 2023, Irina has been benefiting from the social service “Support for Families with Children,” financially supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. This service, which aims to strengthen and empower families, is part of the broader social assistance system and helps her cover part of her household expenses.

Starting in 2024, with the implementation of the “RESTART” reform, Irina’s family has been receiving more tailored and comprehensive support through a child protection specialist – Tatiana – who is specifically assigned to such cases. Tatiana now monitors families more effectively and, in addition to financial support, works to find the most appropriate solutions based on their individual needs. The reform has enabled faster assistance and better-coordinated local interventions, eliminating much of the excessive bureaucracy that previously hindered support efforts.

“Irina is an incredibly strong mother. Although she is on her own, she fights with all her strength for her children. Stas is making small but steady progress, and the financial aid of 4,000 lei per child (8,000 lei in total), provided to vulnerable families with children under the ‘Support for Families with Children’ social service, has been like a breath of fresh air for them. Moreover, the family now also benefits from support for Stas’s integration into an educational program tailored to his specific needs,” says Tatiana.

Typically, after visiting this family, Tatiana heads to another household where empathy and solidarity make all the difference. Otilia, a 13-year-old girl, is the center of her parents’ world. Ecaterina and Ion also benefit from the support provided under the “Support for Families with Children” social service, financially supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Despite her significant disability, Otilia radiates infectious joy. “This family is a model of perseverance. The father works hard to support the family, while the mother dedicates each day to caring for the two children, including Otilia,” says Tatiana.

Thanks to the reform, access to services for children with disabilities has been expanded, and procedures for financial support and therapy have been simplified. Otilia now benefits from a specialized rehabilitation program, and the family receives constant support from specialists who monitor her progress and provide tailored solutions.

With the help of the child protection specialist, this family was also able to access the “Support for Families with Children” service, a process that required an assessment of their situation. “The financial assistance of 4,000 lei per child (8,000 lei in total), provided by the authorities, was used for Otilia’s treatments and to enable her to participate in educational activities that help her development,” explains Tatiana, highlighting how important personalized support is for each case.

Tatiana emphasizes that despite the daily challenges, each successful case motivates her to continue. The impact of the support provided is visible in each family she assists, and the changes in their lives inspire her in her mission: “It’s hard, but when you see the smiles on children’s faces and the parents' confidence that they’re not alone, you remember that what you do matters. My work is not just about reports or field visits, but about real change in people’s lives,” Tatiana says with emotion.

However, despite the challenges in her work, Tatiana knows that balancing professional and personal life is essential. “Besides all of this, we must not forget that we are parents too, and we must not neglect our own families. I have children, and when I come home after a hard day at work, I have to put all those worries aside and take care of my own kids.”

Through her passion and dedication, Tatiana not only supports vulnerable families but also gives them hope for a better future. The stories of these families are just two of the countless examples that prove that, where there is sincere involvement, change is possible.

The training and mentoring that have strengthened the professional capacities of child protection specialists were organized with the support of the Government of the United Kingdom through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and thanks to the support of the European Union through EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid. Thanks to this support, specialists are able to intervene more promptly and effectively, providing solutions tailored to each family in need.