Gattyán Foundation Recreational and Trade Conference – Budapest, November 21-23, 2022

For the first time this year, the Gattyán Foundation organized a Recreational and Trade Conference specifically for professionals working in child protection.

The Foundation has long been committed to supporting children in state care, with a particular focus on helping young people raised in children’s homes across various aspects of their lives. In 2022, the Foundation’s team visited all county- and Budapest-based child protection centers and children’s homes, delivering donations and engaging in conversations with directors. These provided the team with valuable insights into the system, revealing a recurring challenge faced by institutions nationwide, namely the well-being of the adults working within them. Staff in children’s homes encounter demanding environments daily, which can be both mentally and physically exhausting.

While donations naturally prioritize the children, the Gattyán Foundation recognized the significant impact that staff well-being has on the children’s overall care. With this in mind, the Foundation organized a unique event focused on providing much-needed relaxation and professional development for these dedicated individuals.

Held on November 21-23, 2022, the Recreational and Trade Conference welcomed 90 staff members from 28 child protection institutions. The event featured professional programs designed to equip participants with practical knowledge for their daily work. Sessions covered a wide range of topics, including supervision, ADHD and special educational needs (SNI), relationship-building games, and positive pedagogy. One of the standout

moments of the conference was a presentation by Dr. Szilvia Gyurkó, one of Hungary’s leading child rights experts and founder of the Hintalovon Foundation. Her talk was praised as one of the most valuable and insightful contributions to the event.

Burnout is a common challenge for professionals in the social sector, particularly those working with children who have experienced trauma. To address this, the conference included a focus on relaxation and rejuvenation. The picturesque venue and its wellness facilities, the Normafa Club House in Budapest, provided an ideal setting. Participants had the opportunity to unwind with guided meditation and yoga sessions, helping them recharge mentally.

In addition to the educational and recreational components, the Gattyán Foundation presented the “Excellent Child Protection Worker Award” during the event. This award celebrates the exceptional dedication of children’s home staff, and five professionals were honored with the prize, which included a cash reward of 100,000 HUF. The award ceremony was a heartfelt and joyful moment, with colleagues gathered to recognize their peers’ outstanding contributions. Ferenc Sidlovics, Head of the Child Protection Institution Management Department at the Social and Child Protection Directorate, also attended and expressed his appreciation for the Foundation’s ongoing support.

A key objective of the conference was to enhance communication between institutions, facilitating collaboration for a more efficient child protection system. To this end, the event concluded with a professional roundtable discussion, providing a rare opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and share experiences. The lively conversations underscored the value of such interactions, which are often missing in the daily work of child protection professionals.

Feedback from attendees indicated that the conference successfully met its goals on multiple fronts. Participants expressed their appreciation for the high-quality professional programs, which offered insights they could apply in their work. They also shared that the event made them feel truly valued and provided an experience unlike anything they had encountered before. One of the most gratifying outcomes for the organizers was the initiation of active communication between institutions across the country. The Foundation hopes that these connections, along with the exchange of ideas, will contribute to improving the lives of children growing up in state care.