The Szent Ágota Child Protection Service is one of the largest institutional systems providing child protection care in Hungary, covering both children's homes and foster care networks. Nowadays we take care of young people from more than 7,000 families in Baranya, Bács-Kiskun, Békés, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Csongrád-Csanád, Győr-Moson-Sopron, Heves, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komárom-Esztergom, Nógrád, Pest, Tolna and Veszprém counties and in the capital. Our organization has been performing methodological tasks since 2013, and its authority is valid for all child protection systems operating in the Catholic Church. The general director of the organization is János Kothencz.
The foundation and operation of our service provider are the results of serious social and attitudinal development. The development of the Hungarian social policy system allows us to take care of people in trouble. Children in child protection care no longer live in large institutions, but at foster parents or group homes. After the trauma they have suffered they are placed in a smaller, more loving community. Nowadays nearly twenty-three thousand children are raised in Hungary in this way, and they are taken care of by state, civil, and church-run service providers.
One of the church-run organizations is the Szent Ágota Child Protection Service, located in Szeged. Szent Ágota is operated by Szeged – Csanád Diocese, but the areas of competence are countrywide. Due to their Christian spirituality, the employees of our service are careful and helpful with the children taken away from families. Our main goal is to help them to integrate into society and we do everything we can in order to these children avoid drifting to the periphery. The mission of our organization so far is based on this commitment and will continue to serve these purposes in the future.
We believe in cooperation
The Szent Ágota Child Protection Service supports the work of indicating system and basic care.
We work together with our authority Szeged-Csanád diocese and its organizations, the Ministries, and professional organizations such as the General Directorate of Social Affairs and Child Protection, National Institute for Family and Social Policy. We also cooperate with the institutions of child protection, healthcare, and educational system.
Our social support is broad and diverse. Several individuals and companies help us with their volunteer work donations.
We believe in a child-centered approach
If the child has to be taken out of the family, we try to do our best to provide a safe and loving environment for him/her.
The child’s placement is based on the suggestions of the expert committees, but we give preference to accommodate the youngster at foster parents.
Szent Ágota Child Protection Service puts particular emphasis on children in need should get into safe circumstances as fast as possible. We appreciate the foster parents’ work. We would like them to get more respect in society.
We believe in professional values
Our Child Protection System works only as it was already established by the experts and the legislator in 1997. Nowadays Szent Ágota implements its own activity scheme, which is called the KÁSZPEM method. The elements and basic principles are also applied in practice in Germany and Bulgaria.
We could take part in several national and international consultations in order to improve child protection activities. Our National Child Protection Conferences have offered the opportunity for effective consultations at national level.
We believe in the power of activities
A wide range of programmes is provided by the professional divisions. These method-specific and therapeutical services are sport-life, experimental pedagogy, special education, psychology, environmental protection, crime prevention and pastoral care. The last one is the result of the ecclesiastical reservation and is the basis of the approach. Spiritual support and development permeate everyday work, determine the effectiveness of care and the way we work with children.
The group of experimental pedagogy arranges festivals and recreational events.
Sport is an essential pedagogical tool for teaching independence. We have local, county, and national sports events for children supported by Szent Ágota.
Special educational service, which is provided by Szent Ágota is unique in Hungary. Nowadays more and more children with disabilities need development. We have a development center in Csongor Square, Szeged, where there are special educational, speech therapeutical sessions and filterings, and you can also find TSMT gymnastics and pet-assisted therapies.
These services can also be found in other counties.
The facilities to improve our children are enriched by talent support, gipsy program system, art and music programs, and study competitions. We pay attention to youth politics, drug strategies, health care and environmental protection.
We help the youth to integrate into society, to choose a carrier and get a job.
We believe in spiritual ministry
We are unique because we give personal aid to every child we work with. We are highly supported by our partner ÁGOTA® foundation.
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