Since 2018 the number of children staying at orphanages and other institutions in Latvia has reduced by half, said Ministry of Welfare parliamentary secretary Evija Zālīte-Grosa in an interview to Latvijas Radio.
She said there are 506 orphans and children left without parental care staying at orphanages and other institutions in Latvia.
Zālīte-Grosa admits that, unfortunately, the number of orphans in the country increases more rapidly than the number of foster families. Additionally, there are many teenagers and youngsters suffering from health problems among the orphan children. Unfortunately, people decide to take in such children less often than healthy and young ones.
Nevertheless, the attitude towards and understanding of this problem has changed over the years, as have the benefits provided to the people who take care of children left without care of their biological parents and supervision.
When asked if there any new trends observed for the care of orphans during the Covid-19 pandemic, the ministry’s parliamentary secretary said no.
Latvia’s Ministry of Welfare has plans to organise a special discussion about the emotional state of children staying in out of family care facilities and those in a family environment, according to the information from the ministry’s website.
Participants of the discussion will share their professional and personal experience dealing with orphan children and helping them adapt to a new family environment, as well as reacting to children’s and their own emotions and what should be done to ensure adaptation has a positive result.
In a previous discussion held as part of I want my own home! campaign, participants discussed foster family status, adoption and other related topics.
Number of children staying at orphanages in Latvia down by half since 2018
