Training for representatives of the departments of the Lviv City Council by the Child Dignity Center of the Ukrainian Catholic University.

On October 16-17, the Child Dignity Center of the Ukrainian Catholic University, in partnership with the Children’s Affairs Service, conducted training for representatives of the departments of the Lviv City Council as part of the "City for the Child" project.

"City for the Child" is a project that creates the foundation for a safe environment in the city's interactions with children, aiming to prevent potential risks of violence and develop safeguarding policies and a code of conduct for public servants.

The Child Dignity Center of the Ukrainian Catholic University, together with the Children’s Affairs Service of the Lviv City Council, organized the training for representatives of the departments of education, healthcare, social protection, culture, transport, tourism office, and the social support center for children and families "Ridni" (Relatives).

During the training, the head of the Child Dignity Center of the Ukrainian Catholic University, Khrystyna Shabat, emphasized: "When we talk about child protection, we are talking about cross-sectoral cooperation." Therefore, it is crucial to combine efforts and create an environment in the city where children feel safe, and adults can effectively respond to threats.

The participants of the training were introduced to the results of research from the Child Dignity Center of the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Fama Research Agency, including "Sexual Violence in Ukraine: From Awareness to Protection" (2021) and "A School Safe for Children" (2024). This helped them better understand what child safety means and what threats exist to it. Child psychiatrist Yuliiana Maslak spoke about childhood trauma and the importance of prevention and effective response to violence against children to prevent it from leading to lasting trauma.

The second day of the training was practical. The department representatives identified risk factors for child safety in the city and explored strategies for overcoming them.

The city must be safe for every child. We are working together in this direction.