CSWC implemented the project "Protecting Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances”

Planète Enfants&Développement (PE&D) funded the project aims to strengthen and implement the prevention and protection mechanisms for children from violence, especially in preventing human trafficking and labor exploitation in Ho Chi Minh City. The specific goals include strengthening family structures and parental roles to prevent child exploitation and violence, as well as guiding and supporting children and adolescents who are at risk of, or victims of violence, human trafficking, and labor exploitation to reintegrate into their families and communities.

From January 2025 to March 2026, the project aims to achieve the following key outcomes, including 70 families will receive accompaniment and support from the project's social workers to address difficult issues, ensuring the best interests of children in difficult circumstances; 60 children at high risk of, or victims of human trafficking and labor exploitation will be provided education on "knowledge about preventing child trafficking, labor exploitation, and violence against children"; 15 children at high risk of, or victims of human trafficking, labor exploitation, and violence will be protected and help to reintegration into their families and communities; and 10 case management meetings (child case management) will be organized with social workers from public and non-public social protection facilities.

The issues to be addressed within the framework of the project include the prevention and protection for children against human trafficking, labor exploitation, and abuse. The project will also provide support in health care, psychological counseling, education, and equip high risk or victim children with knowledge on "preventing child trafficking, labor exploitation, violence against children, children's rights, and child protection" to help them achieve physical and mental stability and comprehensive development. Furthermore, the project aims to raise awareness and understanding among parents/caregivers from poor and disadvantaged families regarding the care, education, and protection of their children against trafficking, labor exploitation, and abuse. The project will contribute to better protecting, caring for, and educating children in especially difficult circumstances in the target areas, and seeks to share and promote the child protection model to the city and local authorities for potential mechanisms in the future.

Following the success of the project "Accompanying the Development of a Child Trafficking Prevention and Protection Support System in Southern and Central Vietnam," approved by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations in 2021. The expert team of the CSWC Center continues to develop this project proposal. This project will support hundreds of children and adolescents in difficult circumstances with vocational training, job placement, and equipping them with knowledge on children's rights, life skills, and soft skills... The successful implementation of the project will contribute to the program for the protection, care, and education of children in difficult circumstances in Ho Chi Minh City. Activities focused on the care, education, and protection of children in difficult circumstances are always welcomed by local authorities, helping to prevent children and adolescents from falling into social evils such as abuse, sexual assault, and child trafficking, thus creating a "healthier" social environment for children. The CSWC Center, with many years of experience in the field of care and protection for children in difficult circumstances, will contribute in more effective work at the local level.

Previously, the project "Accompanying the Development of a Child Trafficking Prevention and Protection Support System in Southern and Central Vietnam" achieved notable results, including: the support of 150 children who were victims of labor exploitation and trafficking according to the project criteria. These children received psychological, educational, vocational training, healthcare, recreational support, and financial assistance for 25 children living at social protection centers to return to their families. Furthermore, the project provided medical examinations and treatments for 60 children (including general check-ups for 40 children and treatments for dermatological issues, reproductive health, eye diseases, etc.) and supported nearly 40 children in vocational training, as well as psychological assessments and counseling for 35 children with psychological issues. In addition, the project organized 51 life skills and soft skills workshops (communication skills, self-esteem building, emotional management, time management, financial management, child abuse prevention, online safety, etc.) for 867 participating children; 44 awareness sessions on "Knowledge about Preventing Child Trafficking and Child Labor" for 985 children; and 3 training sessions on "Knowledge of Preventing Child Trafficking and Connecting and Referring to Social Workers and Local Officials" for nearly 100 local officials, social workers, and educators. The project conducted capacity-building activities for 35 staff members from the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Social Work and Vocational Education Center on topics such as working with children, identifying child victims of trafficking and labor exploitation, reunification, trauma-informed care, case management, etc. Additionally, the project organized 19 awareness sessions on "Preventing Child Trafficking" for 591 officials, specialists, and collaborators from labor, invalids, and social affairs departments in districts and communes across Ho Chi Minh City; 17 awareness sessions on "Knowledge of Preventing Child Trafficking, Violence, Labor Exploitation, and Child Sexual Abuse" for 582 parents and caregivers; and provided recreational activities, children’s clubs, and emotional management workshops for children living at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Social Work and Vocational Education Center. The project collaborated with the Sunrise Psychological Counseling and Education Center to implement this initiative for all 68 children residing at the Youth Social Work and Vocational Education Center. Furthermore, material support activities were carried out, including donations that were not funded by the project budget, such as scholarships for 106 disadvantaged children, providing health insurance cards for 52 children in need, distributing uniforms, necessities, and snacks to 96 disadvantaged children attending the Binh Thuan charity school, and giving Skechers shoes (with minor defects) to nearly 300 disadvantaged children.

Therefore, the CSWC Center and the PE&D organization believe that the implementation of this new project will continue to contribute to the efforts of local authorities, departments, social organizations, and the community in Ho Chi Minh City to have better care, education and protection for children and adolescents in difficult circumstances.