Gattyán Foundation Recreational and Professional Conference – Budapest, October 13–15, 2025

This year, once again in mid-October, we held our annual conference, which has enjoyed unwavering popularity for many years. We were delighted to welcome 100 professionals from 25 institutions across the country. As the event’s name suggests, for four years our goal has been to provide a program that supports both the professional development and the well-being of children’s home staff. The past years have brought significant challenges to child protection centers, so opportunities focusing on the well-being of workers have become especially valuable. The Normafa Hotel once again provided the perfect venue with its exclusive and relaxing environment, fully reserved for the participants.

We designed the professional program to reflect on the difficulties within residential care from as many angles as possible. We are proud that many of our speakers are returning experts whose knowledge reaches more and more frontline professionals each year.

This was true for our first speaker, Nóra L. Ritók, who shared insights based on decades of experience at the Igazgyöngy Foundation. Her presentation focused on breaking harmful behavioral patterns among children removed from their families. She was followed by Piroska Dósa, child protection expert, who offered an informal talk shaped by recent joint discussions with care providers. Another regular contributor, Mónika Rózsa, child and youth clinical and mental health psychologist, addressed self-awareness and resilience. The first day concluded with psychologist Tamás Földi, who discussed the highly relevant topic of aggression and assertiveness. Participants then relaxed in the wellness area or enjoyed an evening movie screening.

The second day began with small-group workshops led by Élményakadémia. Participants could choose from five topics, each selected to address current challenges in their daily work—such as psychological first aid, trauma-informed practice, and burnout prevention.

The afternoon once again focused on recharge and self-care: in addition to the wellness facilities, attendees could participate in yoga, meditation, or stress-management sessions. After this well-deserved rest, one of our most popular speakers, Dr. Szilvia Gyurkó, founder of the Hintalovon Foundation, delivered a keynote talk. Her presentation focused on current issues in child protection, highlighting the possibilities and hope that still exist within the system.

The evening brought the conference’s traditional celebratory moment: the presentation of the Exemplary Child Protection Worker Award to five outstanding professionals. The ceremony was deeply moving, as the winners received recognition for their many years of committed service—along with a prize of 130,000 HUF.

This year, we also prepared a special surprise: following the donation of 10 new minibuses over the summer, our Founder enabled us to donate five additional vehicles to institutions that applied to the Minibus Grant. The surprise announcement brought immense joy to the recipients, and the evening ended once again with a lively celebration and dancing.

On the final day, two more professional programs took place. First, Dr. Éva Jármi, clinical psychologist, addressed a crucial topic: there can be no effective child protection without protecting the professionals themselves. The many questions raised by this lecture were further explored during the closing roundtable discussion, which also addressed several systemic challenges.

Based on feedback, the conference successfully fulfilled its purpose once again: participants returned to their daily work recharged and enriched with valuable knowledge to support the children in their care.