The ERICA (2019-2021) is an EU funded project, whose key aim is to prevent and combat child maltreatment by building the expertise of frontline professionals working with minors living in families where there is a risk of child maltreatment. The project aims to develop a mobile application for parents' and professionals' to use when assessing the risk of child maltreatment.  The work is evidence-based, with systematic literature searches and analyses conducted on child maltreatment risk, risk assessment tools and experiences of children and families on child welfare and protection services.  

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The project will held its final webinar on Thursday 4.11.2021 / 14-17 CET.  The webinar was opened by Eija Paavilainen & Marja Kaunonen with a keynote on Prevention of Child Maltreatment in Europe, by MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen.  The ERICA training program
was introduced by Dr. Emmanuelle Jouet & Giedre Zlatkute.  There was also be a presentation on the ERICA Mobile Application
by Eija Paavilainen and Dr.Giovanni Vigano spoke on the project evaluation regarding the impact of ERICA Training.  Commentary was given by Katri Kyllönen, FMS and the webinar concluded with a discussion on how the project might move forward.

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The recording of the launch is available at: https://vimeo.com/592706945/50fd4220a4. 

 

The full suite of ERICA training materials are now available at ERICA (EU Ver. 1.0)

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The page also contains links to localised pages for Finland, France, Germany, Poland, England, Scotland and Italy.

 

ERICA has produced a number of publications detailing the outcomes of the project, they are:

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• Appleton J, Bekaert S, Hucker J, Zlatkute G, Paavilainen E. et al. A Pan-European review of good practices in early intervention safeguarding practice with children, young people and families: Evidence gathering to inform a multi-disciplinary training programme (the ERICA Project) in preventing child abuse and neglect in seven European countries. International Journal on Child Maltreatment 2022. http://doi.org/10.1007/s42448-022-00132-x

• Bekaert S, Paavilainen E, Schecke H, Baldacchino A, Jouet E, Zabłocka-Żytka L, Bachi B, Bartoli F, Carrà G, Cioni RM, Crocamo C, Appleton J. Family members’ perspectives of child protection services, a metasynthesis of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review 2021, 128, 106094. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106094    

• Crocamo C, Bachi B, Cioni RM, Schecke H, Nieminen I, Zabłocka-Żytka L, Vozniak-Brus M, Bartoli F, Riboldi I, Appleton J et al. Professionals’ digital training for child maltreatment prevention in the COVID-19 era: A pan-European model. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 885. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020885.  

• Paavilainen E, Nieminen I, Rantanen H, Kaunonen M. Lapsiperheammattilaisten tiedot ja taidot lasten kaltoinkohtelun riskin tunnistamisessa. Hoitotiede 2022; 34 supplementtinumero: s39-s52.

• •Rantanen H, Nieminen I, Kaunonen M, Jouet E, Zabłocka-Żytka L, Viganò  G, Crocamo C, Schecke H, Zlatkute G, Paavilainen E. Family Needs Checklist: Development of a mobile application for parents with children to assess the risk for child maltreatment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022;  19(16), 9810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169810  

• Zlatkute, G., Bekaert, S., Appleton, J., Paavilainen, E., Schecke, H., Specka, M., … Baldacchino, A. (2021, October 15). ERICA (Stopping Child Maltreatment through Pan-European Multiprofessional Training Programme: Early Child Protection Work with Families at Risk) Training Programme Design. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/7qe5c

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