Pioneers from Denmark present a landmark project

Today, Monday 4th December, the workshop will take place in the High Hall of Hafnarfjörður Church from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The day's main speakers are two Danish experts: Stinne Højer Mathiasen, a political scientist and project manager at Herning Municipality, and Trine Nanfeldt, a social worker and nurse and project manager at Herning Municipality. At the workshop, they will present a new approach and a changed philosophy in services for children and families, which has proven successful in Denmark, the so-called Herning Model. The Herning Model is, in effect, a new procedure, and early intervention involves a focus on support and services for children with complex needs and their families. Staff hired under this new approach will be involved in schools and nurseries, working to support and enhance services for children at an earlier stage. The aim is to prevent problems for children and young people from developing to a point where they become difficult, or even impossible, to address. This new approach creates a strong link and active collaboration between the family, education, and leisure services. At the weekend, the City of Hafnarfjörður advertised for a pioneer to join the council to work on implementing these new priorities. Close work will be undertaken with school headteachers, guidance counsellors, teachers and other school staff, seeking solutions at an earlier stage in collaboration with parents, teachers and others involved with the child.

The Herning model

• Cases involving children with multiple needs are managed through the proactive and more effective involvement of staff from the outset, applying a variety of resources in collaboration with parents, schools, healthcare services and, where appropriate, other service providers.

• Cases are handled as close to the child and family as possible, and support is largely provided at home.

• In some cases, it was necessary to place children outside the home, but this was primarily intended as a temporary measure, and the policy was always for the children to return home at the earliest opportunity.

• The motto of the residential home is: the first day in care is the first day on the way home.

The aim of the City of Hafnarfjörður, by examining the model and working from it, is to improve services for children and young people with multiple needs in Hafnarfjörður. To further strengthen prevention and early intervention in the affairs of families of children who live with multiple needs. To facilitate the coordination of working practices and support the cross-departmental development of projects. To redefine the roles of staff in matters concerning disabled children and child protection, thereby working towards increased coordination with the family at the forefront.

MORE: Last week, the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) awarded the City of Hafnarfjörður the EPSA, or the European Public Sector Award. The award is given to public service projects that demonstrate good practice and innovative solutions to challenging issues. The theme of the 2017 EPSA awards was innovation in public service, and the award was presented in Maastricht, the Netherlands, this week. The organisation received a total of 149 nominations from 30 member states across all sectors and policy areas. The Hafnarfjörður project that received this prestigious award is called The Wasps, employment opportunities for people with disabilities. More here: 

This is a testament to the great ambition the town is putting into the areas of schools and leisure on the one hand, and family services on the other.