BRÚIN: Child | Counselling | Resources

Article by Hulda Björk Finnsdóttir, social worker and project manager The Bridge Builders.

In recent semesters, the authorities and professionals within education and social services have placed a greater emphasis on responding quickly when children and young people show the first signs of academic, emotional or mental health difficulties. A working group in the town of Hafnarfjörður has spent the last two years developing procedures to provide such services in a timely manner. Following this work, the project BRÚIN- child- advice- resources, launched. The main aim of BRÚARINN is to improve the quality of life for nursery and primary school children in Hafnarfjörður through early intervention services.  When a child's difficulties begin to emerge, it is often possible to begin with simple resources within the child's local community, such as the school, social services, school support services or the local health centre. In this way, through close collaboration between different professional disciplines within and outside the municipality, an attempt is made to prevent children and adolescents from developing complex problems.

BRÚNNI places an emphasis on increased interdisciplinary services, which are delivered through the solution teams of the nursery and primary schools.  The solution teams include school-based professionals, along with advisers from family services, psychologists and/or a special education representative from the education and leisure services. The role of the solution team is to assess the child's situation and seek joint solutions to support the child and their family. In a solution team, a child's learning, behaviour, development and/or well-being is discussed with the parents' consent. Appropriate resources within and outside the school are mobilised to respond early to a child's difficulties or circumstances. This approach is initially being implemented in seven nurseries and three primary schools in Hafnarfjörður. The schools are participating in the development of this new working method, which will later be introduced into all nurseries and primary schools in the town. Three consultants have been appointed to ensure the success of the procedure and the collaboration. This is not a temporary project, but a change in practice in the provision of services for children and families within the City of Hafnarfjörður. 

The BRÚARINN procedure aligns well with the key priorities of the health-promoting community of Hafnarfjörður and other collaborative projects between the state and the municipality. Hafnarfjörður Municipality and the Capital Region Police are currently developing a procedure to intervene earlier in the situations of children and adolescents displaying risky behaviour. Consultative committees are also active, comprising professionals from the City of Hafnarfjörður, health centres and BUGL, with the aim of shortening referral routes and services for children with learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties. The City of Hafnarfjörður is also working to make the city child-friendly in collaboration with UNICEF in Iceland and the Children's Ombudsman. There is also strong cooperation between parent associations, parent councils and the city's professionals, who work for the benefit of children and young people.

BRÚIN is an innovation and development project with defined measurable objectives. It is hoped that an increased interdisciplinary approach to services for children and adolescents, and earlier intervention, will reduce the need for child protection involvement. It is also hoped that the demand for detailed assessments will decrease and that fewer children in Hafnarfjörður will develop complex problems.   

Further information about the project can be found HERE