Training Centers for Foster Parents to be Established in Kamchatka

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY. November 16. VOSTOK-MEDIA - The regional database of information on orphans and other children in need of accommodation is created in Kamchatka.

This resolution was adopted at the regular session of the Kamchatka Government, where the issue of exercising powers over guardianship and custody of minors by the local government authorities was under discussion.

Viktor Tyumentsev, the RF Minister of Education and Science, stated there was a considerable growth in the number of foster families in Kamchatka. Thus, in 2007 there appeared only four foster families that have adopted 9 orphaned children, whereas in 2009 there were 56 foster families raising 56 children. Every year the Kamchatka Krai Government increases child benefits and compensation package for foster parents by approximately 30 percent. To date, the salary of a foster parent in Kamchatka Krai is RUR 12,350, in Koryaksky District – RUR 13,300. From 2007 to 2009, the number of people willing to adopt a child has increased by 60 %.

However, the municipal tutorship and guardianship authorities often commit violations of the federal law “On the state database of children without parents guardianship". In most cases the Kamchatka Krai Ministry of Education and Science is submitted with badly filled child characteristics checklist, which lack accurate and complete information on a childs profile or gives one-sided negative image of a child, which makes it almost impossible for him to be adopted in a family.

The lists of the registered would-be parents are available only in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Vilyuchinsk and Elizovsky municipal district. But there are no such lists in other municipalities of Kamchatka. Meanwhile, the implementation of this policy requires establishing special training centers for foster parents, providing training sessions to individuals wishing to adopt a child and carrying out other educational activities in each municipality. The regional Government requested to establish special training centers for foster parents in each municipal district before March 2010.

Upon the recommendation of the Kamchatka Krai Government heads of municipal entities will set a special control over meeting of deadlines for application of children’s checklists to the regional database of information on orphans as well as secure the accuracy and completeness of information in checklists. Viktor Tyumentsev also noted that in 2007 33 children from orphanages were housed, in 2008 – 37, whereas in 2009 – 84. Nevertheless, the issue relating to accommodation of orphaned children and children without parental support remains urgent. The Government of the region has issued its recommendations to the local municipal authorities regarding maintenance and upkeep of the housing provided for orphaned children and those deprived of parental care. The heads of municipalities were also requested to create regional database of information on orphans and other children in need of accommodation.