Download Republic of Belarus

A statement from the Head of delegation from the Republic of Belarus
Mr. Viktor Yakzhik, Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus.
In the Republic of Belarus the system of state support aimed at realization of
the right of every child to live in the family environment is established.
The priority of family-type placement for children deprived of parental care is
an integral part of the national legislation and consistently implemented in the child
protection practice. The number of children in residential care has decreased by
58%. Since 2002 the network of residential care institutions for orphaned children
and children deprived of parental care has been reduced by 41%. 76% of these
children are brought up in alternative family-based care as of January 2012.
Concerted efforts of engaged stakeholders on early identification and
comprehensive support services provision for disadvantaged families and families at
risk resulted in reduction of the number of baby abandonment cases by 4.2 times
over the last 10 years.
Children from 0 to 3, including those with disabilities and special needs are at
highest risk of institutionalization.
The Government of the Republic of Belarus supported UNICEF regional
initiative for Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to put an end to sending
children below three years, including children with disabilities in institutions.
Amendments in the national legislation in 2012 are aimed to prevent
institutionalization of the child in early childhood. They stimulate development of the
foster care services for children from 0 to 3 and for children with disabilities and, as
well as the community-based support services for families with children.
In partnership with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders a
strategy on prevention of placing young children into state-run infant homes was
developed. It includes the following actions:
1.
Strengthening interagency cooperation for emergency response in
cases of a risk of institutionalization of children under three, provision of communitybased support services for young families at risk raising children under 3;
2.
Identification of the key reasons of the child’s placement into infant
homes and removal of barriers for family-type placement of children in early
childhood.
3.
Provision of financial incentives for foster families raising children
under 3 and children with disabilities;
4.
Expansion of experience on special psychological, pedagogical, social
and legal training and in-service support for foster families and small group children’s
homes rearing children under three, including children with disabilities and special
needs;
5.
Creation of the mother and child support centres to provide mothers in
a crisis situation having infants with a shelter;
6.
Integration of the issues on maintaining the contacts of the child with
his/her biological parents, and preparing the child for future adoption into the training
programme for adoptive and foster parents;
7.
Provision of biological and foster parents rearing children with
disabilities with the respite care services;
8.
Raising public awareness on the rights of the child, adverse effects of
institutionalization on the child’s development, especially in the very young age, and
the role of the family for the child;
9.
Gradual re-profiling of infant homes into health care institutions
providing palliative care for children with severe and multiple disorders, requiring 24h health care, as well as medical and social follow-up of the families rearing children
with disabilities. Working out action plans on the institutions’ transformation taking
into account available human and institutional resources for setting up new services.
We confirm our commitment to guarantee a favourable family environment for
every child.