How to Find Us? Grigiškės Children Day Care Centre - the Public Institution “Grijos vaikai” (Grija Children) is located south of the river Neris by Vilnius – Kaunas motorway.

About Us. The Centre was established on 14th February 2007. Several projects have been successfully carried out, including the 2007 and 2008 day-centre projects of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania. Projects and sponsors are the main sources of finance.

Target Group. The main target group of the projects is the children (6-13 years old) from multiproblem families, involved in delinquent behaviour, missing school, or having behaviour problems. We also work with the families of the children. At the moment the network of social services, which will provide help not only for children, but also for the whole family, is being created.  Our aim is to work with the child and the family as one unit.

What Activities do We Offer? The centre provides the following services: art studio, tourism studio, folk studio, sports studio, floristics, computer basics, logic board games, nutrition, help with homework,
work therapy, excursions, trips, cultural events.

We provide social services for about 25 children and their families at a time.

Who Works Here? In 2007 seven workplaces were established for the staff (the program of Lithuanian Labour Exchange). Several volunteers offer their help for the visitors of the Centre. When the program of Lithuanian Labour Exchange ended in summer 2008, students and volunteers contributed to the work in the Centre.

Methods and Cooperation. The workers of the Centre are cooperating with the Police. They work with the children with problematic behaviour, solve the problems of children’s occupation and socialization. The main aim, the workers of the Centre pursue, is the attempt of the children from the risk groups to change their behaviour by observing each other and following good examples. That is why the Day Centre is visited by many guests, people of different professions, who acquaint children with different labour activities. The attendance of the Centre is free. Children must follow the rules of the Centre. The workers of the Centre devote a lot of attention to them.

Traditions and Festivals. Many events take place in the Children Day Centre. Every week different events, shows, concerts and fairy tale readings are organised. Children actively participate in the events because only in the Centre the majority of them have the possibility of self-expression, the possibility to try different activities. Some of them can hear a fairy tale for the first time only in the Centre.

It has become a tradition to celebrate the following holidays: Christmas, Easter, Shrove Tuesday, Mother’s Day, International Children’s Day, Feast of St John, etc. Parents, the students of Art School,
the members of Grigiškės community are invited to the celebration.

Different trips are organised to Vilnius Old Town, Trakai Water Entertainment Centre “Transalis” and historical places of interest. It has become a tradition to clean the banks of the river Vokė, organise asphalt drawing competition  and visit the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Cultural resources. The main cultural resource of the Centre is its workers. The director and workers are constantly looking for new ideas how to activate children’s interest and motivation and engage them into teamwork. There are several clubs in the Day Centre such as pottery, drawing, floristics, dancing. Several children attend Grigiškės Art School. All children attend secondary schools. Grigiškės Culture Centre always invites the children of the Centre to different events. Grigiškės Library, which is situated  in the neibourhood, creates the possibility to renew books every day.

Although a good work team was created and the children with problems are willing to attend our Centre we are new in this field and it is impossible to foresee all expenses as. Constantly rising prices make us continually look for the means of support and help children in the environment. We have a lot of ideas and write many projects.

We are looking forward to close cooperation with possible sponsors in our plans implementation. The children of Lithuania are our future and what future we will have depends on how much effort we will devote.