Director’s note

We have the capacity to deal with crises and recovery, for empathy and solidarity

In about 40 years of my work experience, and a bit more of life experience, I have faced numerous crises, including war. Going trough them with my clients and my loved ones, I learned a lot. The crisis causes a feeling of insecurity in all of us. When we face completely unknown and often unforeseen circumstances, we don't know what to think or how to react. When a sense of uncertainty and danger unites, our need to establish personal emotional security is heightened:  we need reliable information, clear directions and guidelines, "light at the end of the tunnel"...
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Parents, ask for support when you and your child need it

Unfortunately, even today it is difficult for some parents to seek help and admit that it is not easy for them to face the challenges of parenting. I would like to inform all parents that it is not shameful or a sign of parental incompetence to ask for help when we need it, in fact, we are doing harm to our child otherwise. When we seek help we are taking care not only of the child, but also of the family and for ourselves, and we are showing the child that it's okay to not to know the answer sometimes or not to be able to do it yourself as long as you work hard and try to solve the problem.
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School should be both educational and upbringing institution – any violence is unacceptable

In recent days the whole country was strongly impressed by the reports about violent behavior of students towards the teacher and violent response of that teacher towards students. It seems that the public is polarized in the "us and them" way and that the story of one incident in Cakovec school has taken considerably larger proportions. There are public discussions about the rights of the children and the teachers, about the needs, rules, support or lack of support, and it is not good that some teachers even labelled children as bullies, which creates lynching atmosphere against these children and their parents. Any hate speech in public space is not acceptable.
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How to act preventively in order to help children and youth at risk of suicide

Today, on 10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day, on the initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization.To many people, death is a taboo theme, something they do not like to talk or think about, something they hope will never hit them, their loved ones, family or friends, even though they know it is impossible to avoid it. If we just have to think about mortality, many will imagine peaceful death in a daunting age, without pain and suffering. However, when death is linked to aggression, or suicide, they are subjected to various unpleasant emotions.
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Why I support abolishing the statute of limitations for the criminal offense of sexual abuse of children

I support the proposal to abolish the statute of limitations for the criminal offenses of sexual abuse of children and I am pleased that recently a thematic session on of this initiative was held in Parliament. Current treatment for sexual abusers of children is too lenient. Low penalties, probation sentences, or community service work are encouraging the abusers to repeat the offense and discourage other victims to come forward and report violence.
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