Common European Guidelines
and Toolkit on the use of
European Union Funds for the
Transition from Institutional to
Community-based Care
Ines Bulic, UN OHCHR Consultant for Western Balkans
European Expert Group on the Transition from
Institutional to Community-based Care (EEG)
3 May 2013
Overview of the presentation
• About the European Expert Group
• Common European Guidelines on the
Transition from Institutional to Communitybased Care
• Toolkit on the use of European Union funds
About EEG
Broad coalition gathering stakeholders
representing people with care or support
needs including children, people with
disabilities, people experiencing mental
health problems, families; as well as
service providers, public authorities and
intergovernmental organisations.
Achievements so far
• Report of the Ad Hoc Expert Group (so-called
Commissioner Špidla’s Report) (2009)
• Advising European Commission (DG EMPL and
DG REGIO) on the use of EU SF in Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia
• Advising the Member States, for example
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia
Why the Guidelines?
“Though governments increasingly recognise
the inevitability of deinstitutionalisation, there
is less clarity with regard to the mechanisms
that replace institutionalisation and what
would constitute a human rights-based
response.”
COE Human Rights Commissioner, 2012
Objectives of the Guidelines
• Offer expertise and impartial advice to Member
States and EU institutions
• Gather and promote practical examples of good
practice
• Raise awareness about the right to live in the
community at EU level
• Ensure that EU and national policies and funding
mechanisms support DI
• Encourage Member States to fully involve user
groups
Key elements
• “Common” means children, people with disabilities, incl.
•
•
•
•
•
people with mental health problems, and older people
Tailored to Member States at different stages in the
process of transition
Guidance on how to ensure actions taken are in line with
the CRPD, CRC and the ECHR
Key guidance outlining risks and challenges in the process
Case studies presenting good practice
Emphasis on management, cross-sectoral coordination
and user involvement
Holistic approach to DI
• Development of high-quality, individualised services
in the community, including those aimed at
preventing institutionalisation and the transfer of
resources from institutions to the new services
• Planned closure of long-stay residential institutions,
including a moratorium on the building of new
institutions
• Making mainstream services accessible and available
to individuals with a variety of support needs
Making the case for developing community-based alternatives to institutions
Assessment of the situation
Developing a strategy and an action plan
Establishing the legal framework for community-based services
Developing a range of services in the community
Allocating financial, material and human resources
Developing individual plans
Supporting individuals and communities during transition
Defining, monitoring and evaluating the quality of services
Developing the workforce
Why the Toolkit?
Key elements of the Toolkit
Main principles
and the legal
context
Programming
stage
Implementation
Monitoring and
evaluation
• What we mean
by DI
• Human rights
argument for DI
• Potential of EU
funds
• Current
regulations 20072013
• Draft regulations
2014-2020
• Checklist for
Partnership
contracts
• Indicative list of
actions for ESF
and ERDF
• Output and
result indicators
for ESF and ERDF
• Operational
Programmes
checklists
• Checklist for the
selection of
projects
• Checklist for
monitoring
• Lessons learned
2007-2013
• Checklist for
evaluations
Potential for change in the next
programming period
• Supporting structural change in the health
and social care systems
• Combining investments into infrastructure
with workforce development and improving
mainstream services
• Supporting sustainable reforms
• Promoting social innovation
• Simplified rules
Common Provisions Regulation
• Objective on promoting social inclusion and combating
poverty
• Need to comply with EU and national law (i.e. UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
• Prevention of discrimination
Ex ante conditionalities
• Thematic – strategy for a shift from residential to
community-based care
• General – mechanism to ensure effective
implementation of UN CRPD
Fund specific regulations
• “Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty”
an investment priority
• Explicit reference to transition from institutional to
community-based care
• Principles of equal opportunities and nondiscrimination
Common Strategic Framework
• Transition from institutional to community-based care
as one of key ESF and ERDF actions
• General implementation principle: the CSF funds may
not be used for actions contributing to any form of
segregation and discrimination
• Other key actions such as education and enhancing
institutional capacity
www.deinstitutionalisationguide.eu
Available
Coming soon
 English
German
 French
 Czech
 Bulgarian
 Romanian
 Croatian
 Lithuanian
 Greek
 Hungarian
 Polish
 Russian
 Ukrainian
 Slovak
Contact information
Ines Bulic
coordinator@community-living.info
Thank you!