Why is data important in deinstitutionalisation strategies?

In the video above, we hear from Volodymyr Kuzminskyi. Volodymyr is from Ukraine and is currently a consultant for Oxford Policy Management in the Social Care Services team. He has a PhD in Planning, Management and Regulation of Economy and a Master’s Degree in the Management of Organisations.

Volodymyr has extensive experience advising governments in different countries on policy and social care services development. He has also provided technical assistance to such bodies as UNICEF and the European Union.

Previously, Volodymyr was the Country Director of EveryChild Ukraine. This NGO worked in collaboration with the Government to design and pilot child protection services and support the development of national child protection policy.

Developing deinstitutionalisation strategies

Volodymyr tells us about the different factors governments and others need to consider when developing deinstitutionalisation strategies, programmes, and budgets.

He emphasises that having accurate data is still overlooked in many countries. Without data, it is not possible to truly understand what the current situation is regarding children at risk of losing or, without, parental care.

This means there is often no evidence-based knowledge about the reasons children are at risk and, therefore, which services are required to address these situations.

There is often little or no data available regarding the number and other details of children that come into care, where they are, how long they stay and, other such information. Without data it is also difficult, if not impossible, to set targets and indicators and measure results.

National and local data systems

Building national and local data systems are therefore of great importance. Volodymyr tells us about one such system he has been working on in Kyrgyzstan.

Volodymyr explains why an interactive mapping system of children in institutional care has been developed in order to capture the attention of politicians, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

The database Volodymyr tells us about has been developed through a European Union funded project called ‘Support to the implementation of the Sector Reform Contract: Social Protection Kyrgyzstan’.