"North Caucasus" newspaper: news, politics, society, culture, customs, traditions of the Northern Caucasus

Realization of the population policy in the region resulted in reduced number of children’s homes. Last year four children's homes (in the Alexandrovsky, Turkmensky, Novoselitsky and Trunovsky districts) were restructured for psychological centers to support substitute families and foster children. Nevertheless, it is early to speak about total absence of children’s homes in the Stavropol region. Today, in the region are open thirty-three state educational institutions for orphans and children left without parental care. We are not ashamed of them. They are clean and comfortable; the rooms are decorated according to the age of children; there are game rooms, bedrooms. Living rooms are up-to-date furnished; meals satisfy the standards and average 130 rubles a day per child. Quiet, business and friendly atmosphere has been created in the institution. Children are prepared for independent life and work.
And yet, every child dreams of a family, warm hearth, mom. Other forms of family placement of children are being developed in the region. These are trusteeship and guardianship, adoptive families, foster care and adoption. Great work has been carried out to establish a regional legal framework for the development of family forms of life-placement for orphans. As a result, in 2008, 1817 children were transferred to families, or 87% of the identified children, including 72 children - to foster family, 1472 - under the guardianship (trusteeship), 9 children - to patronage family, 264 - for adoption, 242 children were returned to their biological families. Of course, adoption is the best for a baby. A child not only becomes member of the family, but also a rightful successor of the family name, family traditions, heir to property. Nevertheless, the percentage of adoptions of the number of identified orphans was only 11.6%. I think the limiting factor is that all the material care about a child is borne by parents. Today, in the region is developed a law on additional measures of social support for families who adopted orphans and children left without parental care. It provides for the payment of a one-time sum to parents of 150 thousand rubles. The problem of selection of parents to substitute families today remains one of the most acute.
Currently, the training of adoptive parents is introduced in the region. In twelve districts and towns of the region are open psychological centers. Monitoring of adaptation of the inmates in substitute families is carried out weekly during the first month of stay in a substitute family, once a month - during the first six months, once every six months - up to 24 months, and annually, or as necessary, the control is exercised up to the full age of the adopted child.