Optimus: Optimal approach to prevention of conflict with the law of children and youth

Abstract

Based on current scientific researches, effective world practices, legal regulations in social protection and juvenile justice area and needs and possibilities of social protection in Serbia, preventive programme 'OPTIMUS - Optimal Approach to Treatment and Integration of Youth in Conflict with the Community' has been developed. The programme aims is to decrease antisocial behaviour, improve personal capacities and social competences and better integration into community of children and with behavioural problems. It is appropriate for treatment of children and adolescents with more serious antisocial behaviour and from multiproblem families, but who doesn't have persistent forms of antisocial behaviour, severe mental disorders or substance dependence. Programme includes three forms of community treatment: workshops with youth, workshops with parents and family visits. Workshops with youth and family visits were implemented in practice and evaluated. Into treatment were included 36 male adolescents from 14 to 19 years of age and their families from three Belgrade municipalities. Evaluation by programme users and implementers showed that adolescents were better integrated into community, while families showed improvement in overcoming adolescent's problems and fulfillment of family members' needs. Results of retest by scales of Socialization by Momirovic et all, completed by adolescents, and Child Behaviour Checklist by Achenbach, completed by parents, showed decrease of antisocial behavior and increase of prosocial skills.

Na osnovu savremenih naučnih saznanja, efikasnih praksi u svetu, važećih regulativa u oblasti socijalne zaštite i pravosuđa, kao i potreba i mogućnosti socijalne zaštite u Srbiji, razvijen je preventivni program 'OPTIMUS - obuhvatan pristup tretmanu i integraciji mladih u sukobu sa zajednicom'. Program ima za cilj smanjenje antisocijalnog ponašanja, unapređenje ličnih kapaciteta i socijalnih kompetencija i bolju integraciju u zajednicu dece i mladih sa problemima ponašanja. Primenljiv je za tretman dece i mladih sa ozbiljnijim oblicima antisocijalnog ponašanja i iz multiproblemskih porodica i, ali koja nemaju perzistentne i teške forme antisocijalnog ponašanja, teže mentalne poremećaje ili bolesti zavisnosti. Program obuhvata tri forme tretmana u lokalnoj zajednici: radionice za mlade, radionice za roditelje i posete porodicama. Radionice za mlade i posete porodicama su paralelno već primenjene u praksi i evaluirane. U program je bilo uključeno 36 adolescenata muškog pola uzrasta 14-19 godina i njihovih porodica iz tri beogradske opštine. Evaluacija od strane korisnika i realizatora programa pokazala je da su mladi bili bolje integrisani u zajednicu, dok su porodice pokazale napredak u prevazilaženju problema mladih i u zadovoljenju potreba svojih članova. Rezultati retesta baterijom skala Socijalizacije Momirovića i saradnika, popunjenom od strane adolescenta, i Listom ponašanja deteta Ahenbaha (CBCL), popunjenom od strane roditelja, pokazali su da je došlo do smanjenja antisocijalnog ponašanja i povećanja prosocijalnih veština.