The CAN-MDS System (developed under the Project “Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect via Minimum Data Sets” [JUST/2012/AG/3250], co-funded by the EC Daphne III Programme) has a dual aim: a. to contribute to the protection of maltreated children and children at risk by building the capacity of professionals working with or for children in recognizing CAN cases and by facilitating reporting of identified or suspected cases and follow-up at a case level; b. to create the scientific basis, necessary tools and synergies for establishing national child abuse and neglect monitoring mechanisms using a minimum data set, common methodology and definitions throughout all relevant sectors. The main objectives of the CAN-MDS II project are:
- to update and consequently to expand the CAN-MDS training module, methodology and e-tools, namely to revise existing and develop new nationally adapted CAN-MDS Toolkits;
- to tackle underreporting through capacity building activities where a variety of frontline professionals working with/for children in various sectors will be trained on what is CAN (based on CRC Art. 19 and the UNCRC.C.GC.13, 2011); beyond training, in the course of pilot phase professionals will be asked to apply the knowledge they obtained during the training in practice, by registering reported CAN cases in the CAN-MDS system or by reporting identified CAN cases directly via the system;
- to pilot test the CAN-MDS system in real conditions at different levels in a series of countries in order to test whether the system is able: to increase reporting of CAN cases on the part of professionals; to operate as a communication channel among services activated in the same or different sectors facilitating the work of frontline professionals at a case level; to provide comprehensive, reliable and comparable case-based information for children who have used child protection services or were in contact with any relevant stakeholders (from the educational, health, mental health, welfare, law enforcement and justice sectors or relevant NGO). Dissemination of piloting results will be used to advocate toward the adoption of uniform inter-sectoral and multidisciplinary CAN surveillance at a permanent basis in EU countries.
Objectives of the previous project
• Development of the methodology for defining a minimum data set on child abuse and neglect (CAN-MDS)
• Mapping of national child protection related services, case-based follow up & CAN monitoring mechanisms
• Development of a CAN-MDS Toolkit (protocol, tools, Guide for professionals including a special session on Ethical issues) and Evaluation of its quality
• Formation of national core groups of professionals-potential operators of CAN-MDS
• Building the capacity of professionals working in child protection and CAN prevention related services for collecting & sharing CAN-MDS via a short-training course conducted by trained facilitators and Evaluation of trainings' effectiveness
• Creation of a Policy and Procedures Manual addressing policy makers and other related stakeholders towards the establishment of national CAN-MDS and adaptation of the Manual according to country specifics
• Conduction of a variety of dissemination and lobbying activities for the adoption of CAN-MDS in participating countries
