28 January, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. The Vitebsk region is observing a trend of increasing numbers of orphans being placed in family-based care, the Education Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee informed a BELTA correspondent.
Thus, out of newly identified children in this category in 2012, 72% were placed in families of citizens for upbringing in the region (in 2011 - 69%); by 2015, it is planned to increase this figure to 80%. Currently, the region has 805 foster families raising 1,182 children, and 19 family-type children's homes where 123 children live. In total, 66% of children left without parental care are in family-based care (in 2011 - 61%).
Among the positive results of last year, the department also noted a decrease in the number of pupils in children's homes and boarding schools. In 2012, 90 orphans and children left without parental care were placed in these institutions in the region. As of January 1, 2013, a total of 4,078 children of these categories were registered in the regional database, compared to 4,448 as of January 1, 2012.
Furthermore, last year the Vitebsk region reorganised children's social shelters into socio-pedagogical centres. Currently, 25 such centres operate in the region, which include children's social shelters as a structural unit; 918 minors passed through them last year. As a result of the work carried out, 59% of children were returned to their biological families, and 39% were placed in substitute families. Work on developing family-based placement for children left without parental care is being carried out in the region on a continuous, consistent, and targeted basis. To this end, regular appearances are made in the mass media, Open Days are held at children's homes and boarding schools, seminars are conducted for prospective foster parents, and meetings are held at parent meetings in educational institutions and at enterprises in the region. A wide range of measures aimed at protecting childhood is being implemented. -0-