More than 120 professionals attended this meeting organised by the Consell de Mallorca, FICE and the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030.

The councillor for Social Welfare of the Consell de Mallorca and president of the Institut Mallorquí d’Afers Socials (IMAS), Guillermo Sánchez, together with the director of AFE Networks, Josu Gago, inaugurated the technical conference ‘Working to repair trauma from specialised foster care’, which aims to advance the implementation of this model of care aimed at children with specific emotional, behavioural or adaptive needs.

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IMAS

The aim is to offer them support and therapy in a daily family environment. IMAS has collaborated with the Natzaret Foundation, member of the International Federation of Educative Communities (FICE), in the organisation of this meeting which has been carried out within the framework of the AFE Networks project, financed with Next Generation Funds of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 and has been exclusively addressed to professionals in the field of education, social services and health.

During his speech, the president of IMAS has highlighted ‘the importance of this event to give a boost to specialised foster care’ and especially thanked ‘the involvement of the Natzaret Foundation in the organisation of this event and the 100 years of work of the entity to guarantee the rights, improve the welfare and protection of children in vulnerable situations’.

The AFE Networks project on specialised foster care refers to a type of foster care in which one of the members of the foster family has specific training to care for children and adolescents with special needs or circumstances. It has already been implemented in Madrid, Catalonia, Navarre and the Basque Country, and this conference, attended by more than 120 professionals, is part of a feasibility study for its implementation in the Balearic Islands.

In addition, Sánchez insisted on the MAS’s commitment to promoting foster care: ‘this month the IMAS has launched the campaign Crecer en Familia (Growing up in a Family) to increase the number of people willing to become foster families and thus facilitate that all children can enjoy a safe environment’, which was screened during the conference.

For his part, Guillem Cladera, director of Natzaret Foundation, FICE entity in the Balearic Islands, thanked IMAS ‘for its close collaboration in the organisation of this conference, as well as CaixaForum Palma for having opened its doors and auditorium. Also, of course, we would like to thank FICE for its effort and interest in making possible both the presentation of AFE Networks in Mallorca, and for this morning of knowledge and debate on foster care and, more specifically, specialised foster care’.

Guipúzcoa was the first territory in Spain to set up the specialised foster care programme 17 years ago; its director, Alberto Rodríguez, stressed at the conference ‘the importance of foster families having the appropriate training and preparation to attend, 24 hours a day, to the special needs of the child to whom they open their home. The good results on the quality of life of these children are unquestionable’.

The day was completed with a round table on ‘Foster care, the right to grow up in a family’ in which professionals from IMAS, Intress, Aldaba Foundation and AFE Networks took part. All agreed on the need to offer children and adolescents a safe environment from a physical and emotional point of view, allowing them to grow and develop.

For his part, Guillem Cladera, director of Natzaret Foundation, FICE entity in the Balearic Islands, thanked IMAS ‘for its close collaboration in the organisation of this conference, as well as CaixaForum Palma for having opened its doors and auditorium. Also, of course, we would like to thank FICE for its effort and interest in making possible both the presentation of AFE Networks in Mallorca, and for this morning of knowledge and debate on foster care and, more specifically, specialised foster care.

Guipúzcoa was the first territory in Spain to set up a specialised foster care programme 17 years ago; its director, Alberto Rodríguez, stressed at the conference ‘the importance of foster families having the appropriate training and preparation to attend, 24 hours a day, to the special needs of the child to whom they open their home. The good results on the quality of life of these children are unquestionable’.

The day was completed with a round table on ‘Foster care, the right to grow up in a family’ in which professionals from IMAS, Intress, Aldaba Foundation and AFE Networks took part. All agreed on the need to offer children and adolescents a safe environment from a physical and emotional point of view, allowing them to grow and develop.