Navigating progress: SOS Children's Villages Ombuds Office unveils 2023 scale-up insights

SOS Children’s Villages continues to advance its federation wide Ombuds Office and has made progress in 2023, aiming to establish a network of Ombuds for children and young people by 2026. The Ombuds Office is essential to the SOS Children’s Villages Safeguarding Action Plan 2021-2024.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​“We are investing in an Ombuds Office for children and young people so that SOS can shift from a focus on ‘reporting and response’ to a focus on prevention. Organizational ombuds enable this shift by creating a culture of openness and transparency. Where there is openness, we can build - and rebuild - trust. In an open environment, children and young people [...] become subjects of care - actors with a say in the decisions that affect them, actors who create a safe environment. This gives children a greater sense of value, dignity, and well-being. This is what we all want. “

Ms. Cornelia Zelter,
Ombuds Board Chair

In 2023, significant strides were made thanks to the learnings gained from our pilot member associations in Benin, Sierra Leone, and Uruguay. Collaborative efforts with Safeguarding teams, input from children and young people, and contributions from various stakeholders have propelled the Ombuds Office into operation.

Progress Made: Turning Vision into Reality

The Ombuds Office has three National Ombuds, two Regional Ombuds, an interim Global Ombuds, an Ombuds Board, an Office Coordinator, and a Human Resources Coordinator. The ground-up approach adopted has set the stage for over 30 member associations to adapt the Ombuds approach to their national contexts this year. Additionally, more than a dozen member associations are at various stages of evaluating local equivalents to the Ombuds for SOS Children’s Villages.

Children First: Insights from the Ombuds Inquiry Tracker

One of the Ombuds Office’s efforts to strengthen child safeguarding includes ensuring children’s concerns are heard. In 2023, an additional 578 children and young people from scale-up MAs were consulted. Their feedback echoes that of the original group, who asked for an independent, confidential Ombuds. The pilot MAs show that as trust is built, children reach out to their National Ombuds. Equally important, they feel empowered as they interview Ombuds candidates and become involved as Ombuds Representatives.

The Ombuds Office Inquiry Tracker reveals that up to 30 June 2023, 20 inquiries were received from individuals with an average age of 16 years old. On average, inquiries are resolved within 40 days, showcasing our commitment to timely action.

Progress check: Outcomes and Learnings

The Ombuds pilots in Benin, Sierra Leone, and Uruguay are operational and effectively working on promotion, prevention, participation, and protection. As trust is built, inquirers feel they can safely share their concerns with their National Ombuds.

„I like the awareness raising about the ombuds office that has been done so far. It shows SOS takes our protection very seriously” 

Children’s Representative, Sierra Leone

Children appreciate the accessible approach and feel they have been meaningfully involved from the concept development phase to implementation and monitoring. They have a good understanding of the role of the Ombuds. However, the Ombuds Office is an innovation, so ongoing awareness raising is needed to explain the distinct and complementary roles of the Ombuds Office and Child Safeguarding and how the two collaborate. The Ombuds Office is working hard to ensure that everyone – from children to the International Senate – understands that the Ombuds are there to dialogue and help resolve concerns before they become substantial. They are independent, but they are an ally. Communication is ongoing at all levels and with all involved.

The “ground-up” approach has proven essential to ensuring that implementation is doable and adapted to the context of each member association. This approach has also been critical to evaluating local alternatives to the SOS CV model as local services vary across countries, and ombuds “equivalents” can be effective in many forms.

Road Ahead: Mapping the Future of the Ombuds Office

The upcoming year promises further implementation efforts to establish an Ombuds (or equivalent) within all member associations by 2026. By the end of 2024, the goal is to have over 60 member associations with Ombuds (or equivalent) or in the process of establishing one. By March 2024, the Office will have a full contingent of five Regional Ombuds; by May, the Office expects to have a Global Ombuds.

In addition to piloting and scaling up the Ombuds approach, the Ombuds Office will focus its efforts on:
 

1. strengthening the independence of the Ombuds Office,
2. increasing communication and sharing its stories with member associations, PSAs, and donors,
3. collaborating to prevent abuse, exploitation, and neglect among children and young people in SOS Children’s Villages programmes and services
4. raising awareness about how Ombuds strengthen child participation and safeguarding, and
5. building supportive, trusting relationships within SOS Children’s Villages.

Read the full report here.