In order to ensure the effectiveness of our support, we analysed available data and consulted experts and partner organisations. This is where our aid is directed to and why:

Why do we support foster care?

The number of foster parents in Prague is not sufficient, over 300 children still live in children’s homes, infant care centres or emergency care shelters for children.

With foster families missing, children stay in children’s homes. Both existing and prospective foster parents need to know that they are supported in their role. However, they lack resources for therapeutic services, after-school activities for children, legal services or respite care for children with disabilities. Finding foster parents for older children, a group of siblings or children with disabilities poses a real difficulty.

We at the Social Foundation aim to improve the conditions of foster parenting and offer funds to cover these services in a situation where the state support is not sufficient.

Why do we support housing?

In Prague, securing a proper place to stay gets more and more difficult.

There are more than 154 000 people endangered by housing insecurity in Czechia, one third of them children. There are 870 000 households suffering from housing insecurity, struggling with energy costs or paying excessive rental fees which means 1.6 million people are affected. Both numbers tend to grow as the living costs keep increasing. Housing insecurity brings severe effects on physical and mental health and well-being of families and individuals. There are substantial impacts on society and the cost for the state, as well.

There is a growing number of senior citizens who have been living at their own residence and so far were able to cover the housing costs their whole life but their pension after retirement is not sufficient. Other groups of the population suffering from housing insecurity include people with disabilities, families with children (namely single mothers or fathers) and people with low income. Their housing situation can become critical as a result of any unforeseen expenses. Some of them have to leave their home and stay at hostels or shelters. According to experts, there are about 8000 people living at these shelters. The most common obstacle to securing proper housing is the payment of a deposit.

There are 7000 households in need of housing and 101 000 households suffer from housing insecurity.

We want everyone in Prague to be able to get a proper residence and keep it. The Social Foundation can contribute towards keeping a current residence or obtaining a proper place to live.

Why do we support the independent life of people with disabilities?

It takes several months for the application for state support to be processed.

The existing state support system setup makes people wait for help for a long time. In addition, sudden changes in health status sometimes require an immediate response in the form of medical devices, services or treatment.

We want people with disabilities and their caregivers to get help. The Social Foundation can provide support that will help to partly cover services, medical devices or treatment during the time when a client does not receive support from the state.

The state support system does not cover all needs.

Picture yourself in a situation where you have to decide if you will take a shower or have an outing with friends. You need an assistant to help you with both but you can afford only one of these. Your family cannot be on duty 24/7 either. Some people have to leave their home and move into assisted living in the end.

We want people with disabilities to get support needed for their independent existence. The Social Foundation contributes towards the cost of additional services or treatment.

Senior citizens are worried that they won’t be able to live on their own.

Caregivers are afraid that they will not be able to provide proper care.

We want seniors to have their wishes fulfilled and caregivers to provide them with proper care. We help with funding to cover the expenses, e.g. hospice care or creation of a safe home environment.

Why do we support people in a difficult situation?

Even a little financial help can save a life if it comes in time.

In some cases, the existing state support system doesn’t offer adequate and timely help. Thus, social workers’ chance to help is limited.The Social Foundation offers a grant for social workers and their organisations to create a flexible budget that can become an effective tool in their work with clients.

A flexible budget is a social work tool that a social worker can use when solving a difficult life situation for their clients. A client’s needs are evaluated: in case a difficult situation can be solved with financial help, a social worker can offer an intervention plan to reach a solution (e.g. securing a housing), to stabilise a client’s situation (e.g. securing medicine or a temporary shelter) or to improve quality of life (e.g. funding to cover a regular psychological care or a training course to improve employability).

We want the social workers in Prague to provide the best possible care. The Social Foundation offers a grant towards the creation of a flexible budget that will enable social workers to establish a high quality, systematic and creative social work and help clients in a difficult situation, namely where other sources are unavailable.