The needs in Sao Paulo to provide meaningful support for children are great. Vida Jovem offers family-like homes for children who have been removed from their families by the child welfare agencies, it works with the courts to ensure successful transitions to the family of origin, or to an adoptive family, and it offers preparatory courses, extra-curricular activities and medical and psychological support to ensure that all of the children and youth it serves have the opportunity to pursue a career and life with dignity.
In 2002, a research group of the Pontifica Universidade Católica (NCA/PUC-SP) together with the Associação dos Assistentes Sociais e Psicólogos do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado de São Paulo (AASP-TJ), and in partnership with Fundação Orsa undertook a study “Policy for Shelters to Defend the Rights of Children and Adolescents in Sao Paulo City)”. This study identified 190 shelters and determined that 4,847 children were living in the 185 programs visited. Of this total, it was expected that 73% of the residents would return at some point to a family member’s home.
The study also highlighted the difficulty of adapting to the prerogative of the Estatuto de Crianca e Adolescente legislation regarding the development of programs within the institutions geared to assisting the children successfully return to their families of origin; and, the required termination of support to all youth once he/ she reaches 18 years of age. Both points were also found in the national context as well.
For the Family Court Judge of the Ipiranga District, Dr. Edson Chuji Kinashi, there is a shortage of residential space in shelters for approximately 100 children considering the demand in his region. These children have to be sent to shelters in other parts of the city, far from their families. The Ipiranga District includes the neighborhoods of Sacomã, Heliópolis and Cursino, with an aggregate population of 429,299 people as of 2008.
The number of enrolled students in the first 8 grades totaled 54,269 and in high school, about 17.265. Within the region 7 institutions offer 4,387 places for professional courses suggesting
that 12,878 youth are excluded from career enhancing programs.
Given the problems that often arise relating to raising children in a domestic, family environment, the legal recommendation is that the at-risk children be sent to temporary shelters within the communities from which they come, respecting the principles of brevity and exceptionality as stated within the ECA legislation (Estatuto da Criança e Adolescente, Lei Federal 8.069/90). This legislation ratified the international commitments agreed at the 1989 United Nations Assembly Convention for the Rights of Children of which Brazil is a signatory.
ECA Art.19 – Every child and adolescent has the right to be raised and educated in the bosom of his/ her family and on an exceptional basis by a substitute family offering a family-like and community environment without the presence of people dependent on drugs; (free translation)
The needs in Sao Paulo to provide meaningful support for children are great. Vida Jovem offers family-like homes for children who have been removed from their families by the child welfare agencies, it works with the courts to ensure successful transitions to the family of origin, or to an adoptive family, and it offers preparatory courses, extra-curricular activities and medical and psychological support to ensure that all of the children and youth it serves have the opportunity to pursue a career and life with dignity.
In 2002, a research group of the Pontifica Universidade Católica (NCA/PUC-SP) together with the Associação dos Assistentes Sociais e Psicólogos do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado de São Paulo (AASP-TJ), and in partnership with Fundação Orsa undertook a study “Policy for Shelters to Defend the Rights of Children and Adolescents in Sao Paulo City)”. This study identified 190 shelters and determined that 4,847 children were living in the 185 programs visited. Of this total, it was expected that 73% of the residents would return at some point to a family member’s home.
The study also highlighted the difficulty of adapting to the prerogative of the Estatuto de Crianca e Adolescente legislation regarding the development of programs within the institutions geared to assisting the children successfully return to their families of origin; and, the required termination of support to all youth once he/ she reaches 18 years of age. Both points were also found in the national context as well.
For the Family Court Judge of the Ipiranga District, Dr. Edson Chuji Kinashi, there is a shortage of residential space in shelters for approximately 100 children considering the demand in his region. These children have to be sent to shelters in other parts of the city, far from their families. The Ipiranga District includes the neighborhoods of Sacomã, Heliópolis and Cursino, with an aggregate population of 429,299 people as of 2008.
The number of enrolled students in the first 8 grades totaled 54,269 and in high school, about 17.265. Within the region 7 institutions offer 4,387 places for professional courses suggesting
that 12,878 youth are excluded from career enhancing programs.
Given the problems that often arise relating to raising children in a domestic, family environment, the legal recommendation is that the at-risk children be sent to temporary shelters within the communities from which they come, respecting the principles of brevity and exceptionality as stated within the ECA legislation (Estatuto da Criança e Adolescente, Lei Federal 8.069/90). This legislation ratified the international commitments agreed at the 1989 United Nations Assembly Convention for the Rights of Children of which Brazil is a signatory.
ECA Art.19 – Every child and adolescent has the right to be raised and educated in the bosom of his/ her family and on an exceptional basis by a substitute family offering a family-like and community environment without the presence of people dependent on drugs; (free translation)