Supporting Children In Foster Care

In September we started a new project to support foster care families in Gomel Region, particularly those looking after babies and very young children, or children with special needs.

During Autumn last year 17 children under 3 years old were removed from their families, where they were in a socially dangerous situation. Six were moved to Guardian families (a relative). Three to substitute (foster) families; and three to family type homes. Four babies were moved to a hospital because of their health condition. Only one moved into the Baby Home. There are now just 25 children in the Baby Home and 14 of these are receiving palliative care. There were around 100 children five years ago.

Our training programmes and small projects helped to gradually reduce the numbers and then in the last year or so our partners ‘Supporting Children Together’ have worked with UNICEF funding to get many more children into families.

Our new project provides training and emotional and practical support for some of these families. We have recently provided two online seminars for both foster parents and professionals, looking at how to support children with special needs and how parents can act in the best interests of the child.