Professional parental assistance in Moldova is weakly developed, with our country lagging behind its neighbors in this area, according to the NGO “Partnerships for Every Child”. “We are moving at a slow pace in this area because the local authorities are not yer prepared. This is a complex job, so parental assistants must be selected with great care. We also need well-prepared social assistants that are able to identify children with problems or experiencing abuse. If the authorities invest in this area, this will be very beneficial for the future generations”, said Partnerships for Every Child director Stela Grigoras, at an international conference in Chisinau themed “Modern Practices in Alternative Child Care”. The conference, which was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Social Protection and Family, featured experts from the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia, who shared their positive practices in the development of professional parental assistance. British consultant Hugh Salmon stressed the importance of every child being raised in a family environment, especially until the age of three. It is also important to ensure an environment free from violence, abuse and parental neglect in order to prevent children from themselves becoming abusers in adulthood. Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Moldovanu stated that the Government was “making every effort” to advance reforms in the child protection system. This year, for example, it is planned to open 9 additional family-type homes and create other specialized services. Social Protection Minister Valentina Buliga stated that the conference was an opportunity to propose and discuss unique child placement models to be implemented across the country. Valentina Buliga said that for Moldova, where the child protection policies had traditionally been based on the notion of residential institutions, professional parental assistance ensured the right of the child to a family in conformity with international standards. She went on to add that parental assistance was a key service in the reformation of the child protection system. In Moldova, 11 districts have so far implemented this service, with the most common types being short and long-term placement. However, the minister stated that Moldova needed all forms of placement. For example, emergency placement, which is uncommon in Moldova, would be very useful for the families with children with disabilities: this type of placement would allow them time to resolve emergency situations. In Chisinau and Orhei alone there are about 3,000 children with special needs. The conference was held as part of the Project “Supporting Local Authorities in Moldova in Providing Alternative Child Care Services”, implemented by the NGO “Partnerships for Every Child”, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family, and with the financial support of the World Childhood Foundation.