Number of family-type children’s homes is on the rise

Twelve families from Moldova have announced their intention to open family-type children’s homes where there will be educated minors deprived of parental care. The families have been instructed by a team of experts in psychology, medicine and law. The training seminar was organised as part of the UNICEF-EU project “Development of Socially Integrated Services for Vulnerable Families and Children at Risk” with the aim to provide the future parents-educators with the necessary knowledge to better understand the needs of the children that will be placed in their families. The training participants learned about the practical abilities needed when communicating with the children, about different aspects of the separation of the child from his biological family and formation of child attachment; how to educate non-violent children and how to raise a healthy child from physical and psychic viewpoint. The families are from the districts of Hancesti, Telenesti, Floresti, Falesti, and Straseni – target regions where the project is being implemented. When the children’s homes are open, the parents-educators will take part in new seminars to discuss concrete situations in the relations with the children they will look after. The family-type children’s homes are an alternative to institutionalisation that provide a safe environment, close to the family one. There are 25 children’s homes in Moldova at present. Three to seven children, including biological, are educated and raised there.