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I.

Rationale

The Child and Youth Welfare Code provides that every child has the right to a wholesome family life that will provide him with love, care and understanding, guidance and counseling and moral and material security. On the otherhand, a dependent or abandoned child shall be provided with the nearest substitute to a home.

While there are residential facilities available, a child grows best in a family where all his needs are met. "Assignment of the child to a foster home shall be preferred to institutional care.  Unless absolutely necessary, no child below nine years of age shall be placed in an institution. An older child may be taken into an institution for child care if a thorough social case study indicates that he will derive more benefit therefrom." (Article 68 of Child and Youth Welfare Code)

Children abandoned and neglected by their own families are provided with substitute home through DSWD’s Reception and Study Center for Children, lingap Center and Nayon ng Kabataan where every effort is done to provide these children with homelife atmosphere. there are also child caring agencies run by non-government organization. Nevertheless, no amount of institutional care may substitute for a family life for an abandoned neglected child, hence the project.

II.

Project Description

This project seeks to develop a pool of "Ninong/Ninangs" or "Godparents" who will be foster parents on a weekend to children served in DSWD institutions.

It is a pilot project for one year in the National Capital Region between DSWD and ZNN Radio Veritas. It involves temporary placement of children ages 3 to 17 years old in approved foster families for a specific period of time.

There will be an evaluation of the project after one year. If found effective, it will be expanded to other Field Offices and NGOs.

A.  General Objective:

The project aims to provide opportunities for children in DSWD institutions to experience family life on a temporary basis.

B.  Specific Objectives:

1.  To provide the public information on alternative family care for abandoned and neglected children.

2.  To generate public support in providing care and attention to abandoned and neglected children particularly those staying at DSWD institutions.

3.  To develop a pool of ninongs/ninangs or godparents as foster parents.

III.

Target Beneficiaries

The project will be piloted in the National Capital Region DSWD institutions namely RSCC, Lingap Center and Nayon ng Kabataan. All abandoned and neglected children in these institutions ages 3 to 17 years old may participate in the project except for the following children.

1.  those with pending cases or subject for litigation in court such as children sexually and physically abused, victims of pornography, pedophiles, prostitution and child labor.

2.  those under the protective custody of DSWD as in the same cases indicated in item no. 1.

3.  those with behavioral problems who have been assessed by their social workers to be violent or emotionally disturbed and who would not benefit from the project.

For dependent children, consent of their biological parent/s shall be sought to be able to participate in the project.

IV.

Components

1. Advocacy and Social Mobilization

Development and production of advocacy/IEC materials such as brochures, poster and decal for information dissemination about the project. ZNN Radio Veritas shall support this advocacy and will mobilize people through DSWD’s Mano-Mano Program every Monday at 10:00 a.m.

2. Project Implementation

2.1  Launching of the Project

The project was launched by the DSWD secretary and ZNN Radio Veritas President on February 13, 1995 at the ZNN Radio Veritas, the exclusive carrying station of the project. Licensed foster families were invited to share their experiences as foster parents to less disadvantaged children.

2.2  Who may apply as Ninong/Ninang

A married couple or any individual 25 years and above may apply as ninong/ninang and should have the following qualifications.

a.  a genuine interest in parenting a non-related child

b.  capability in caring for and handling children with problems

c. healthy/harmonious relationship with each family member

d.  good moral character and emotional maturity

e.  good physical and mental health; and

f.  sufficient income to meet the basic needs of the family

Licensed foster families and local adoptive families, DSWD officials/employees and civic organization shall be encouraged to be involved in this project.

2.3  Application/Screening of Ninong/Ninang

a.  Applicants may get application forms at any of the following offices:

1.	ZNN Radio Veritas Office, Center Point
	Bldg. J. Vasco Street Pasig, Metro Manila
	Tel. No. 635-25-21
2.	Bureau of Child and Youth Welfare
	Batasan Pambansa, Quezon City
	Tel. No. 931-8144, 931-81-01 to 07 loc. 25
3.	DSWD- Child Placement Center
	National Capital Region
	389 San Rafael St.
	Legarda, Manila
	Tel. Nos. 741-10-51/741-10-54

b.  All application forms properly filled up shall be forwarded to the DSWD-NCR office for review. Assessment shall be done within five (5) days which shall include an interview and homevisit by DSWD-NCR social workers of the Child Placement Center.

2.4  Conduct of Regular Forum on Foster Care

A regular foster care forum shall be conducted at the DSWD-NCR office every Friday at 4:00 -5:00 p.m. by the NCR Child Welfare Specialist. Initially, it will be an orientation of applicants and a venue to address questions raised concerning the project. The for a shall be a series of sessions to strengthen and maintain as well as increase the number of ninangs and ninongs. Suggested topics are: Child Rearing, Caring for a Non-Related Child, Parent Effectiveness, etc.

2.5  Approval of Applicants

The CPC Social Worker shall conduct a homevisit to the applicant/s and prepare a homestudy which shall indicate her recommendation to the Field Director for the approval/ disapproval. She may use the guidelines in preparing a homestudy on pages guidelines in preparing a homestudy on pages 22-25 of the Self-Instructional Manual on Adoption. Should the applicants be disqualified for certain reasons (e.g. motivation, family members are sick of a contagious disease, biological children are not willing to care for a child), the social worker shall inform them of the disapproval and explain the reasons. If found to be interested despite findings, the social worker shall help the family to comply with unmet requirement. CPC social workers shall forward to DSWD institutions the profile of the ninangs/ninongs which shall indicate their child preference, and number of children they wish to care for and the type of children recommended based on the Social Worker’s assessment and duly approved by the NCR Field Office Director.

2.6  Matching of Child

The Social Worker of the institution shall match the child to a ninong/ninang who shall meet his/her needs. Preferences of approved applicants shall be considered however, priority shall be given to the needs of the child when matching.

2.7  Placement

All approved applicants shall be encouraged to meet their child at the institution. Prior to the placement, the social worker shall prepare the child for his/her meeting with his ninong and/or ninang and the duration of his/her stay with them/him/her. Inasmuch as this is only on a temporary (weekend) basis, the center social worker will inform the child on the arrangements with his/her ninong and ninang which may either be one of the following:

2.7.1  The child may be picked up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and the brought back to the institutions at 5:00 p.m. of the same day.

2.7.2  The child may be picked up in the morning of Saturday and be brought back to the institution at 5:00 P.M. of Sunday.

The ninong and ninang shall sign an out-on-pass slip prepared by the social worker of the institution to indicate the day and time child was received and to be returned. The slip shall also indicate their responsibilities as substitute parents for the weekend which are as follows:

*  fetch the child from the center and return the child as stated on the out-on-pass slip;

*  reat the child as member of the family; and

*  Be accountable for the safety and protection of child especially when bringing the child on picnics/outings inside or outside Metro Manila.

For documentation purposes, picture taking is encouraged.

As much as possible, no child shall be placed with the same ninong and ninang more than one (1) week end to allow other children to experience family life with more families as well as the ninong and ninang to have more opportunities to share with more children.

Approved ninongs/ninangs may take care of not morethan five (5) children during the period depending on their capability.

2.8  Handling of Separation

The social worker or any designated staff of the institution shall always be available at the institution to receive the children when they return. A brief description of their physical an emotional state shall be indicated on out-on-pass slip. The experiences of the children shall be processed by the social worker to explore their feelings such that the experience becomes an opportunity for learning.

2.9  Development and maintenance of ninongs and ninangs.

The NCR Child Welfare Specialist shall conduct group session experiences and problems of ninong/ninang as well as identify solutions to the problems.

3. Networking

Continuous collaboration and coordination among ZNN Radio Veritas, DSWD- NCR, DSWD-PALS and BCYW shall be done to ensure effective networking and referral system towards success of the project.

3.1  Roles and Responsibilities of Units involved:

3.1.1  Department of Social Welfare and Development

3.1.1.1 Bureau of Child and Youth Welfare

a. Prepare the project proposal, guidelines and procedures and reporting forms for the implementation of the “Ninong-Ninang sa Bawat Linggo Project”;

b. Provide technical assistance to DSWD-NCR in the implementation of the project;

c. Provide monitoring and supervision of the project; and

d. Provide PALS with monthly reports from NCR on the implementation of the project.

3.1.1.2 DSWD - NCR

a. Conduct regular weekly forum and individual/group orientation;

b. Conduct home visits and prepare home studies of applicants and other related activities to assess and orient prospective applicants who may eventually become adoptive or licensed foster families;

c. Prepare both children and ninongs and ninangs and institution staff on the project; and

d. Provide the Bureau with monthly reports on the project.

3.1.1.3 Public Affairs and Liason Services

a. Provide ZNN Radio Veritas with information materials and other necessary reports and assist ZNN Radio Veritas in promoting and providing publicity to the project in media;

b. Develop poster, brochures, decals and other IEC materials and;

c. Document activities relative to the implementation of the project.

3.1.2  ZNN Radio Veritas

a. Be the exclusive carrying station of the project;

b. Provide promotions and publicity support to the project including but not limited to production and airing of plugs, announcements, etc. without requiring any financial obligation from DSWD;

c. shall coordinate, whenever necessary, with the member stations of the Federation of the Catholic Broadcasters to ensure success of the project; and

d. Assist DSWD in providing orientation and in administering questionnaires to prospective applicants at ZNN Radio Veritas Office.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of the project shall be conducted to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the project. There will be different levels of evaluation:

    Level I - For the clients
           II - For the ninong/ninang
          III - For worker of the institution

Results of the evaluation are inputs towards improved project implementation.

4.1 Bureau SWO III shall conduct monitoring and evaluation of the project through assessment through reports and visits to institution and through reports from the institution staff. Monitoring will include looking into the records of ninongs and ninangs developed and children served, the problems encountered and action taken during implementation by the Field Office/social workers of CPC and DSWD institutions.

4.2 Institution social workers shall monitor progress of children and the ninongs/ninangs, the regularly in coordination with the Field Office Child Welfare Specialist. Problems of Ninongs/Ninangs shall be referred to CPC social workers.

4.3 A reporting system (both statistical and narrative) shall be established and shall be forwarded to the Bureau by the Field Office monthly. The Bureau shall prepare a monthly report to the Secretary on the implementation of the program.

4.4 The Bureau shall maintain a data-bank of approved ninongs and ninangs and children served.

For compliance.

Adopted: 17 April 1995

(SGD.) LINA B. LAIGO
Acting Secretary