Child Social Protection: Accessible by All or None? A Qualitative Analysis of Child Protection Workers Views in Albania

Abstract

Limited research has focused on the challenges of child protection workers involved in the social protection system in Albania. Despite the changes that social protection has undergone over the last years, obstacles arise in the implementation process. Regardless of the strategies and programs targeting child protection in Albania children have not been protected from exploitation and other life-threatening risks. Mainly non-governmental organizations and stakeholders who support the child social protection system in Albania have been involved in continuous efforts to identify what is missing, and what needs to improve regarding the child social protection system. This paper presents the experiences of child protection workers on how the current social protection system responds to the needs of children and their families. The data was collected from 10 child protection workers in Albania using in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews. This research found that there is a gap in the distribution of services between urban and rural areas preventing beneficiaries who live in rural areas to access social services. Some of the major challenges that emerged by the majority of interviewees were lack of training, weak institutional cooperation accompanied by the need for emergency centers to assist children at risk of exploitation and abuse.