Nearly 30 different support services for children’s prosperity

Children’s Prosperity Week takes place next week, March 9th–13th. It is held across the entire capital area in collaboration with the municipalities, the Capital Area Health Service, the Capital Area Police, upper secondary schools and local sports districts, which together form the Capital Area Children’s Prosperity Council. Numerous events will take place in each school and municipality during the week.

Ensuring that our children receive the right support

All children have the right to thrive and to receive the help they need to face life’s challenges. The Children’s Prosperity Act is intended to ensure that children gain access to the right support at the right time.

In Hafnarfjörður, nine children’s prosperity coordinators have been hired in 20–75% positions within the compulsory schools run by the municipality to support children’s prosperity. Their role is clearly defined by law. They serve as guides for parents and children through the range of available services, or in professional terms, they integrate services in the interest of children’s prosperity. They provide families with information about services, ensure access to initial assessment, support coordination at the first level of services and pass on information when second‑level coordination is needed.

Valdimar Víðisson, the Mayor, says that we all want our children to have the chance to flourish, regardless of the challenges they face. With these services and stronger cooperation, we are creating an environment where support is provided earlier and families feel heard and supported.

• A new webpage with all information has been launched, where the various services can be explored. See here.

Professional cooperation for the children

Erla Björg Rúnarsdóttir, head of integrated services for children and youth, says that children’s prosperity calls for close cooperation among all professionals involved.

We need to get to know each other better and bring our professional knowledge together. We are working toward being able to support children and their families as early as possible. It is not enough to know only the children each person works with; staff must also know one another and understand what other specialists bring to the table. The children are at the center and the heart of the system. We, the professionals, must care for them and ensure that children’s hearts beat strong and in rhythm with society.

Erla says a dedicated implementation group is now working to ensure that staff are familiar with the strengths of each service. Children’s prosperity teams are operating within the schools. We work with people, and we must always do our best with each child and each family.

Erla encourages parents to look through the list of services offered by Hafnarfjörður. Parents can then apply for the services through My Pages on the municipality’s website. Let’s do this together. That is how we work best.

Extensive preparation

Extensive preparation has taken place within the municipality to ensure that children receive the support they need. Hafnarfjörður is the first municipality to hire children’s prosperity coordinators in higher staffing ratios across all of its compulsory schools. The municipality also adds its own funding on top of the state’s contribution to support the implementation of the Children’s Prosperity Act.

In Hafnarfjörður, the focus during Children’s Prosperity Week will be on presenting the municipality’s services and the children’s prosperity coordinators. The municipality has emphasized strengthening these roles throughout the school year. Various presentations will take place in the schools where students, parents and staff receive information about the role of the children’s prosperity coordinator. The municipality has also produced posters and brochures that will be highlighted and distributed.