Tihipko: All orphan children must be adopted

News / 1 June 2012 | 13:40

Tihipko: All orphan children must be adopted The National Prevention of Social Orphanhood Strategy entrusts the state and the society that by the end of 2020 all the orphan children are adopted, the vice prime minister of Ukraine and the social policy minister of Ukraine Serhiy Tihipko told a press conference, as ForUm correspondent reported. Tihipko informed that for the last two year the positive trend has been observed. Back in 2009 there were registered 100787 orphan children in Ukraine. Currently, this number has reduced to 95545 children. He also noticed that the majority of orphans live in the family type homes, meanwhile 21.5 thousand children live in traditional orphanages. According to the minister, the National Strategy provides that all the orphan children should be brought up in the family type homes or be adopted. Tihipko mentioned that starting from June this year the number of the social workers will be increased by 12 thousands, including so-called social inspectors who will monitor and assist multi-child families, single-parent families and disadvantaged families. The minister also noticed that the Strategy provides for the construction of the day boarding schools, where the working parents could leave their children in case of need. He also mentioned that the policy of social aid to families is to be reconsidered as the truly disadvantaged families get only 23% of state benefits. The minister promised the situation will be improved, however the indirect income estimation won’t be applied.  The Head of the UNICEF in Ukraine Yukie Mokuo is sure that the Ukrainian National strategy will improve the protection of children rights in Ukraine. She also stressed that the protection of the children is to be a key issue within the EU-Ukraine dialogue.