Problems of families with children with special needs will be discussed at a dialogue platform in the Vitebsk region

Issues faced by families in the Vitebsk region raising children with disabilities, benefits and state guarantees, and other matters are planned for discussion today at a dialogue platform. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the Committee for Labour, Employment and Social Protection of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.

The meeting will take place at the Bogushevsk boarding school for children with disabilities with psychophysical development peculiarities in the village of Ryabtsevo. Participants will include ten families from the northern region, hailing from Vitebsk, Dubrovno, Orsha, Polotsk, Rossono, Senno, Ushachi, and Shumilino, who are raising children with disabilities. The platform will also bring together representatives from the Committee for Labour, Employment and Social Protection, the Vitebsk Regional Centre for Correctional and Developmental Education and Rehabilitation, and the Belarusian Children's Fund.

Among the main topics to be examined and discussed are benefits and state guarantees for families with children with disabilities, as well as medical and educational issues. "Dialogue platforms and other events that draw attention to the problems of families raising children with disabilities are of great importance. They serve a crucial informational function, allowing parents to hear from representatives of various structures, organisations, and state authorities about what is offered to such families. Some issues are promptly resolved at the regional level. We have had cases in our practice, for example, concerning the transportation of children, where issues were successfully resolved almost immediately after a dialogue platform," the committee emphasised.

Similar projects continue to operate even after their main phase concludes. Families share the information received with other parents raising children with special needs during events in their city and district, and through communication in thematic chats.

The committee reminded about the social support measures for such families: "State benefits are paid, annual financial assistance is provided to families with children with disabilities from the funds of the Social Protection Fund of the Population on an application basis, and targeted social assistance is provided to low-income families. For families with children with disabilities, using funds from local budgets under the state program "People's Health and Demographic Security" for 2021-2025, assistive devices can be installed, and electrical wiring and stoves can be repaired if necessary. Social services are provided, in particular, nannies on a gratuitous basis to families with children with disabilities under the age of 18. The social respite service is also available, allowing parents to address their personal matters during the child's temporary stay in a residential institution." For a certain category of children with disabilities, extracurricular activities are organised at home.

As of October 1, 3870 families raising children with disabilities were registered in 25 territorial centers for social services of the population of the Vitebsk region.

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