When it is in the best interests of the child and in agreement with the relevant authorities, we provide and use our experience and competence to explore relevant alternative care solutions, together with partners. We have almost 25 years of experience in offering alternative care based on a family-like care model, which we call SOS family care, and in other alternative forms of care such as foster care and youth communities. We review the placement on a regular basis, exploring all care options based on the best interests of the child. If it is in the best interests of a child to return to the family of origin, we actively support and carefully accompany this process. No other organization has our depth of experience in providing alternative care, and this experience informs our family strengthening and advocacy work. Introducing SOS Couples/Parents is another step in perfecting the family like care model. offered by SOS Children’s Villages Albania. By diversifying the profile of caregivers (SOS couples), SOS Children’s Villages Albania will move toward a model of two-parent family who can offer and meet better the needs of the children without parental care in a family environment.

We make every effort to find a solution where siblings can grow up together and consider factors such as age, gender, faith, special needs, health status, geographic location and expected placement duration.

Whilst a child is in alternative care, we encourage strong links between children and their family of origin, as long as it does not harm the well-being of the child. We review the placement on a regular basis, exploring all care options based on the best interests of the child. This includes supporting and guiding reintegration with their family of origin, if suitable.

In alternative care, we empower children and young people in various aspects of their individual development, so that they are able to become self-reliant and contributing members of society. This process begins with a special focus on early childhood development and ends with quality aftercare support.

SOS Children villages Albania has in place a multi-disciplinary system approach, which includes not only provision of direct services or a range of complementary services but an effective and systematic intervention in capacity building and development of accurate community support systems for our target group. For children who are in alternative care, our support starts from the moment of admission and lasts until they leave care.

Our programs are as below:

1. Family like Care offered through by 11 SOS parents and two SOS Couples in SOS Children’s Village Tirana.

Family like Care is provided at the SOS Family. The entire work in the SOS Children’s village is focused in one final goal. This goal is that the children / young people who we were trusted with to become able to live independently. The work for the completion of this task and the achieving of this goal starts from the time of admission of the child in the SOS Children’s Village and continues until the day of his/her departure with the full efforts of all the collaborators of the SOS Children’s Village.

SOS Children’s Village, Albania provides family like care services to children (aged 3 -18 years), who have lost their parental care and need a long-term family environment in SOS families. SOS Children’s Village, Albania offers family oriented care using professional concepts and having a continuum of care in all stages of the care. The family like care is provided with the aim of developing life skills, a better education, psychological empowerment, the gradual undertaking of responsibilities and preparation for life in a nurturing family environment.

At the heart of the SOS family like care model is the lasting and stable relationship between the SOS parent and the children entrusted to her/their care. In sharing her life and emotions with the children, the SOS parent builds a loving family where emotional wounds can heal and confidence is build

2 Youth Communities located in Tirana , programs where young persons are supported with education and trainings, professional courses, accommodation, head started programmes and follow up guidance. 12 youth leader support youngsters to be independent in their life with prepararion programs in different areas.

The main objective of youth care is to support children, young people and families so that every child develops within caring family environment to his/her full potentials and that he/she is able to become a self-supporting and contributing member of society.

The final stage of the care is the period of the periudha e After Care Programs for Independent (Semi-Independence Program). Becoming independent means amongst other things, to have a job with sufficient income, find a home of your own and are able to maintain and administer it. The young persons are supported with appropriate aftercare programs according to each specific case, situation, and needs that the young people might present. Young people enter when they reach 19 – 20 years old and normally this phase has duration of 3 years after which young person continues his/her completely independent life.