In 2025, Kazakhstan launched the implementation of a professional development programme for specialists, developed on the basis of more than 30 years of experience of SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan and the best international practices in the field of alternative care. The first training cohort was successfully completed in five regions of the country, laying the foundation for the large-scale introduction of modern approaches and the improvement of service quality within the child protection system.
As part of the strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, work continued to scale the practices of SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan at the national level. Based on the organisation’s many years of experience, the professional development programme “Modern Technologies and Approaches in Working with Children in Educational Organisations for Orphans and Children Left Without Parental Care: The Experience of SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan” was developed and introduced. The programme has been officially recommended for implementation by the Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In May 2026, the first training cohort started in five regions of the country, covering specialists from organisations for orphans and children left without parental care. The courses are delivered by trainers from Orken National Scientific and Practical Institute for Child Wellbeing who, in turn, received training from an international-level expert invited by SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan. As a result of the first stage, 119 specialists completed the training, including organisation leaders, teachers, psychologists, social pedagogues, and caregivers.
The feedback received indicates a high level of demand for the programme. Participants noted that, for the first time, they had received specialised training focused specifically on the needs of organisations for orphans, as well as practical tools that can be directly applied in their daily work with children. Specialists particularly valued the approaches of SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan in trauma-informed support, family-oriented work, creating a safe environment, and providing individualised support for children. Many participants emphasised that the training contributes to rethinking the professional role of specialists and developing more modern approaches to child care.
The initial results confirm the strong potential of the programme as a tool for systemic change in the field of alternative care for children. The initiative demonstrates the successful integration of the practical experience of SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan into the state system of professional development for specialists and creates a foundation for the further scaling of the organisation’s best practices across the country.
The project is supported by SOS Children’s Villages Worldwide.
