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New support facility opens in Akureyri, Iceland for distressed children and parents

Friday 26th 2024 on 14:54 in  
Iceland

A new support facility for children in distress and their parents has officially opened in Akureyri, designed to aid parenting skills and address children’s challenges. The center, a diagnostic and training home, had a preliminary opening in early July, with the formal launch set for August 1. It caters to children from birth to fourteen years old, along with their parents.

Vilborg Þórarinsdóttir, head of child protection in Eyjafjörður, highlighted the significant need for such a resource, as her department services not just Akureyri but ten surrounding municipalities. The facility allows parents and children, or both parents, to seek help for behavioral issues before they escalate into more severe problems, offering support beyond what can be provided in a home environment.

“The primary focus may often be on the parent who needs to learn new parenting strategies,” Vilborg explained. “Alternatively, it could be the child facing underlying issues or behavioral challenges that requires parental support.” The assessment phase typically lasts one to two weeks, followed by treatment, with an overall stay of approximately two months anticipated.

The center is not intended for children, teenagers, or parents dealing with substance abuse problems. Instead, it serves as an intermediate solution to prevent the need for foster care or treatment placements far from home. Situated in a typical single-family house within a green neighborhood, the facility aims to create as homely an environment as possible, allowing children to continue attending their local schools or kindergartens. “Our goal is to make it feel as natural and comfortable as possible,” Vilborg noted.

Source 
(via ruv.is)