Help Khmer Social Workers Care for Foster Children

Will we stand idly by and ignorance the child abuse? 

For the thirteen-year-old children growing up to be healthy adults, they require love, care, and education. However, Srey-Na did not even receive all those things, but she was abused by her stepfather—a person she fully trusted. Srey-Na used to feel safe and secure at home, later it became a scary place to her. The provincial authority in Pursat, the western part of Cambodia, the Officers of the Department of Social Welfare partnered with Mlup Russey to ensure her safety by providing her safe place, healthcare, and protection against various threats. Food, attention, and counselling were given to Srey-Na while she was living with Emergency Forster Care family to ensure that her physical and emotional suffering would be resolved.

Even though we have determined that an EFC house is a secure environment for children, moving in for Srey-Na’s first time made her feeling uncomfortable and nervous. However, her physical condition has improved over the last five months as the result of medical check-ups regularly to make sure she is not pregnant. Together, she had been taken care by EFC family in following up her health, guiding, and hearing of her concern. Srey-Na has grown into a courageous girl who is receptive, caring, and helps in taking care of the other kids in the EFC house.

Srey-Na gained life skills by helping her foster parents in cooking and making her bed as well as her education. Before entering the EFC family, Srey-Na never went to school. When she came to the EFC family, she was immediately arranged to grade 4. At home, Srey-Na has time to learn more, reading, writing, and doing math on their own, with the help from her foster parents. Srey-Na can now read the books, read the Bible, write letters, and do exercises just like any other children.

As an abused child, does she need justice? Pursuant to the Convention on the Rights of the Child under Article 34, Protection of Sexual Abuse, the government should protect children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, in accordance with the law of juvenile justice, children are protected and provided benefits. Mlup Russey partnered with local authorities to facilitate the accessibility to legal services for children while presenting themselves to the court. Srey-Na built a good relationship with lawyer and legal assistants from Chab Dai Coalition, and she was confidently telling her story to the lawyer in advance. Child-friendly methods are used with Srey-Na to increase her confidence and courage to participate in court proceedings. During Srey-Na’s each court appearance, Chab Dai Coalition also provide daily lunch package to her for encouragement. The lawyer also asked the judge to issue an arrest warrant for the perpetrator to punish him for his actions. The first experienceof attending and listening to the court after consulting with the lawyer, Srey-Na seemed to be confident and dared to speak wholeheartedly, both when meeting the lawyer and in the courtroom, and she was feeling better.

In the next phase, Mlup Russey keeps collaborating with DoSVY, CCWC, Chab Dai Coalition, lawyer, and the judge to seek justice for children. At the same time, we also keeps working with her foster parents to provide education, life skills, and get ready for her when she would return to her the community.