Kazakhstan has approved a unified interagency algorithm for responding to cases of violence, cruelty and bullying against children. Now each identified case will be assigned a separate specialist, reports the news agency Todayinfo.
According to the Ministry of Education, the new procedure for the first time clearly distributes responsibilities between the police, schools, doctors and guardianship authorities. Any report of a violation of a child's rights should trigger a mandatory list of actions with specific deadlines.
“The main innovation of the system is the introduction of the institution of case managers, ensuring personal responsibility for each case. Each identified incident will be assigned a specific specialist who coordinates the work of all services and accompanies the child until his rights are fully restored. This approach eliminates the 'blurring' of responsibility between departments and ensures continuous support for the victim,” the ministry said.
Now the basis for verification is not only official statements. The ministry noted that appeals from the children themselves, signals from the 111 contact center, messages on social networks and the media will also be taken into account.
“All key structures, including mobile groups and psychological support centers, are involved in identifying cases. An important change is that now not only children who have been subjected to violence, but also those who have witnessed it, are placed under state protection and mandatory support,” the ministry reported.
Response times have also been established. According to the ministry, information about violence should be immediately sent to the relevant state bodies. Within an hour, the information is transferred to child protection structures, within one working day a case manager is appointed and the child's living conditions are checked. Materials must be submitted to the commission on juvenile affairs within three working days. Medical, psychological, pedagogical, social and legal assistance to children is provided according to a single standard.
