Monthly allowance for maintaining a child in family-type homes was increased over twofold

The Government decided to increase the monthly allowance for maintaining a child in a family-type home up to 450 lei. The allowance for children of preschool age is now 180 lei, and for children of school age – 200 lei. According to the Government Decision made last week, the yearly allowances allocated to family-type homes for purchasing the necessary equipment, clothes, footwear, school supplies, objects of personal use and medicines will be raised from 1,000 to 3,000 lei. In this way, the Government hopes to stimulate the setting up of family-type homes as alternative to childcare residential institutions that house children that remained without parental care. The increased monthly allowance will be paid after the given decision is published in the Official Gazette, while the yearly allowance – from January 1, 2008. There are 23 family-type homes in Moldova at present, opened in pilot regions. At most seven children are accommodated in a family-type home. The parent educator gets a salary of 500 lei.