Multidimensional Approach to Children and Youth Behavioural Problems through Implementation of the Multidimensional Family Therapy Program

About this project

<p style="text-align: justify"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: medium">The aim of the project is to provide services to children and young people (aged 11-19) with serious behavioural problems&nbsp;through adapting the Multidimensional Family Therapy Programme (MDFT) in Lithuania thus ensuring a wider and more accessible network of behavioural correction tools and services in the country. MDFT is an evidence-based, integrated, comprehensive, family-oriented behavior change programme for children and young people with serious behavioral problems who have already committed criminal activity.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: medium">Helping children and young people struggling with serious behavioural problems that cannot be addressed in the general education environment is one of the biggest social challenges in Lithuania. This project focuses on&nbsp;children and young people whose behavior is socially unacceptable, aggressive, provocative, associated with a sudden change in emotions and low self-esteem. Until now, no programmes or measures that have proven successful in changing behavioral patterns have been available to these children and youngsters and their families in Lithuania.</span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: medium">What will be done while implementing the project?</span></span></span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: medium">The project will seek integrated solutions to help children and young people with serious behavioural problems expressed through actions that violate accepted behavioural norms, criminality, and inability to successfully adapt and participate in the community and society. During the implementation of the project three MDFT teams will be established to provide services for the target group using the methods of adapted programme. The project partner from Norway, the&nbsp;</span></span></span>Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS)&nbsp;<span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: medium">will support the project through sharing its experience in the MDFT implementation and its integration in to the social services system.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: medium">The target group that will directly benefit from the project: children and young people aged 11-19 with behavioural disorders and members of their families and immediate communities.</span></span></span></strong></p>

Bilateral cooperation results

The Project Partner, the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (PP), shared valuable best practices with the project participants. This included their involvement in MDFT team meetings in Lithuania, attending three publicity conferences and participating in study visits to Norway, Estonia and the Netherlands. PP representatives helped deepen the knowledge of working with children displaying delinquent behavior. They introduced the child rights protection system in Norway and shared their experience with implementing family therapy programs abroad. Together with the MDFT teams, they worked on finding solutions to challenges in Lithuania. Throughout the project, strong relationships were built with PP and representatives from other institutions in Norway that work in child and family support. These connections will continue to be supported even after the project ends.

Project partners

• Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities Donor project partner· Norway
• Ministry of Social Security and Labour Project partner· Lithuania