Team-Based Care: How Professionals Learn to See a Child’s Needs

How can we recognize in time that a child needs support?
How can a school become a place where children are not only taught, but also heard?

A training session titled “Team-Based Care in Assessing a Child’s Needs” was held in Zaporizhzhia, organized by the NGO Responsible Citizens within the UNICEF Ukraine project.

The training brought together teachers, school psychologists, and social educators — professionals who work with children every day.

Participants learned how to apply the integrated model for assessing the needs of a child and their family — a tool that helps better understand a child’s life circumstances, identify potential risks, and plan support through coordinated teamwork.

A special part of the training focused on supporting children who have experienced changes in their family environment. Educators discussed how to recognize emotional signals of anxiety or loss of trust, and how to help a child regain a sense of stability and safety.

Participants also explored effective ways of cooperation with foster families, guardians, and patronage caregivers to ensure continuous support for children within the educational environment.

As a result, participants deepened their understanding of the professional role in promoting the best interests of the child and strengthened intersectoral collaboration.

Because genuine care begins when every adult sees a child — not through their problems, but through their needs and potential.