Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev had a meeting with representatives of the family-type children’s homes on December 26. On the occasion of the winter holidays, every family-type children’s home received by 500 lei in financial assistance and by a parcel of food products from the Government. All the children were given sweets. Several children recited poems, sang carols and congratulated the Premier. Vasile Tarlev said that 2007 was a fruitful year as there appeared more family-type children’s homes. Fifty-two such homes work at present, in contrast to 25 in 2006. The Premier stated that the yearly allowances this year have been increased from 1,000 to 3,000 le, while the monthly allowances from 180 to 450 lei. He said that the allowances are still small if taking into account the necessities and merits of the foster parents. Vasile Tarlev assured the families that the Government will support and encourage the further development of the children’s homes. He thanked the parents for their work and determination to set up and preserve the family-type children’s homes, urging them to come together at least once in a quarter to identify solutions to the problems they face in concert with representatives of the relevant ministries. Later, the parent-educators shared their concerns with the Minister of Education and Youth Victor Ţvircun. They spoke about the difficulties in gasifying the houses, the poor condition of the roads, the difficult process of legalizing children’s documents and work record cards for educators. Some of the parents said that they have not yet received the increased allowances. The family-type children’s home is an alternative form of looking after orphans and children that remained without parental care. The families that open such homes look after three to seven children, including its biological children. The parent-educators get a monthly salary and work record cards. The development of alternative services is one of the priorities of the residential childcare system reform implemented by the Government of Moldova. The reform’s aim is to reduce the number of children that grow and develop apart from the family by 50% until 2012 by reintegrating them into the natural or extended family and by preventing their institutionalisation. Also, the Government aims to restructure all the residential childcare institutions under a general reorganisation plan.