More than 300 mayors from the districts of Floresti, Falesti, Hancesti, Straseni, Telenesti and the city of Balti will be trained in the period September-October how to establish and develop social assistance services for the children and families in their communities. The trainings are conducted with the support of UNICEF and EU and aim at assisting the local authorities in implementing the Reform of the residential child protection system. A press release from UNICEF Moldova informs that the mayors will be instructed how to intervene and find the best solution for each child and family in the community, so as to reduce the number of children who are raised outside their families. According to Margareta Lepadatu, mayor of Radulenii Vechi village, Floresti district, the support of the authorities and social assistance is needed not just in cases where children are or risk being abandoned, but also when they are subjected to violence or left in the care of grandparents, with their parents working abroad. According to UNICEF, some 11,500 children are currently raised in orphanages or boarding schools. Only 800 of them lost both of their parents or qualify as orphans under the Moldovan laws. From the beginning of this year, 257 children from 7 residential establishments were taken back to their families. In addition, child institutionalisation was prevented in 216 cases. On September 12 and 13, trainings will be held for the mayors in the district of Straseni.