More than 550 children in the Vitebsk region were recognized as needing state protection in 2009

January 28, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. In 2009, 553 children were recognized as needing state protection in the Vitebsk region. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by Irina Yanukovich, Senior Assistant Prosecutor of the Vitebsk Region for Juvenile and Youth Affairs. According to her, in recent years, a positive trend of decreasing numbers of children in a socially dangerous situation and needing state protection has become noticeable. At the same time, the situation remains problematic. Thus, as of January 1, 2010, there are 4.6 thousand orphans and children left without parental care living in the region, which is 130 people less than on the same date in 2009. 3.1 thousand children from 1848 families are in a socially dangerous situation. At the beginning of last year, there were 3.2 thousand of them from 1897 families. The issue of reimbursement of expenses for the maintenance of children from obligated persons is under constant control of local authorities and interested departments. In total, there are currently over 4 thousand such unfortunate parents living in the region. Outside the region, there are 705 obligated persons, of whom 16 reimburse expenses in full, 421 - partially, and 268 do not reimburse expenses. Over the past year, 48% of the funds spent by the state on child maintenance have been withheld from negligent parents. At the same time, their total debt is Br24 billion. The analysis of the situation in the region indicates shortcomings in addressing the issues of protecting the rights of minors and preventing family dysfunction, noted Irina Yanukovich. In particular, insufficient coordination and cooperation between local government and self-government bodies is characteristic of all regions. Employees of interested departments do not study and widely disseminate successful work experience in cities and districts, new approaches, useful initiatives and undertakings. The activities of rural and settlement executive committees are criticized, as they do not pay due attention in their work to Decree No. 18 and increasing parental responsibility for raising children in dysfunctional families. In addition, inspections have shown that the real and effective participation of trade unions, district and city BRSM organizations in the overall system of work to fulfill the requirements of the decree, as well as in preventive work, is practically absent. Trade union committees do not take effective measures to increase the interest of labor collectives and public associations in this work. Local authorities and administrations do not initiate more active use of the capabilities of trade unions. An effective mechanism for interaction between state and public structures, including between territorial bodies and BRSM organizations, has not yet been established in the organization of preventive work, Irina Yanukovich stated. -0-