GlavnaThe two-day workshop on organizational and technical capabilities of process of transformation of residential care institutions was held in Belgrade on 17 – 18 December 2013 attended by directors of the residential care institutions involved in the project (Veliki Popovac, Kragujevac, Kulina, Tutin, Pancevo, Stara Moravica, Curug, Novi Becej and Aleksinac).
On the first day of the workshop participants discussed about lessons learned from a study visit to the Czech Republic.  As the most essential lesson they underlined the impression about real possibility of transformation of institutions and de-institutionalization that would contribute to a better life for users and as more human approach to their problems.
Based on study visit, participants also came to a conclusion that plan of transformation process is needed and this process will not lead to losing jobs. It will lead to development of local services.

In the second part of the first day of the workshop participants discussed conditions that must be fulfilled to support short-term and long-term time frames for de-institutionalization. They underlined the need to change the current legislation, financial arrangements (“money should follow the client”), as well as need to solve problems of regional distribution of users (by place of residence at the local level).

Dr Jan Pfeiffer, an expert on the project raised the issue on developing an individual plan for each user of social care services. The participants presented procedure for making individual plans in their institutions and stressed need to prepare these plans in a way that is more suited to the client. This approach, however, would require a larger number of skilled workers but also those who are not professionally profiled, but they have a good personal contact with client. They emphasized the need for education of employees in residential care institutions in various aspects, especially in terms of developing individual plans.

On the second day they discussed financing of residential care institutions. Model of source and flow of funds in the social welfare system in Serbia during 2013 was presented. George Bolton, an expert on project led the workshop and discussions with the participants. Current situation regarding the financing facilities was analyzed with special emphasis on Article 207 on Law on Social protection (special-purpose transfers), which regulates possibility of financing local governments, among others, for transformation of residential care institutions.

Participants stressed out that before enactment of this Law they didn’t have opportunity to develop a process of transformation due to the lack of a legal framework. They said that local self- governments should actively participate in the process. It is expected that local government will support transformation through Social Welfare Development Strategy. Although there are four potential sources of funding for de-institutionalization and development of community services (special-purpose transfers, municipality funds, grants and residential care institutions funds), it is clear that residential care institutions do not have financial resources and are not currently legally able to fund transformation with their funds since money does not follow the user.
Following the workshop, participants discussed long-term strategic issues related to restructuring of financing of health and social services in the community.