28 December, Minsk /Elena Prus - BELTA/. In Belarus, the state allowance for the care of a child with a disability under 18 years of age will be set at 100% of the subsistence minimum budget per capita (SMB) in 2012. This is stipulated by the National Programme for Demographic Security of the Republic of Belarus for 2011-2015, Minister of Labour and Social Protection Marianna Shchetkina informed a BELTA correspondent. Currently, the amount of this allowance is 65% of the SMB (as of November 1, this year, the SMB amounts to Br574,790). "Families raising children with disabilities need additional support," the minister believes. "And this is not only about financial assistance but also social support." Territorial centres for social services offer clubs for parents of children with disabilities and employ psychologists. In difficult life situations, parents can always turn to a specialist at the centre for qualified help, communicate with families facing similar problems, and overcome life's difficulties together. The head of the ministry reported that the possibility of providing short-term day care services to single-parent families raising a child with a disability, and families raising two or more children with disabilities, is being considered. "Unfortunately, there are such families, and they have a hard time," added Marianna Shchetkina. "Providing a social nanny service for a child with a disability at home will give the mother or another relative a respite. You must agree that caring for such children requires complete dedication from their loved ones; they devote almost all their free time to this difficult task, having no opportunity to attend to personal matters." A new type of service, social respite care, is also under development, allowing families to temporarily place a child with a disability in a residential social institution. The demographic security programme also plans other measures to support families raising children with disabilities. For example, the system of social patronage for families following the birth of a child with a disability will be developed in the republic. The main goal of this new form of work is to provide diverse assistance to families. This includes overcoming psychological problems, financial support, and involving medical professionals, lawyers, and other specialists if necessary.