Obligatory training for foster parents?
The Russian State Duma gives
first reading to Bill obliging potential foster parents to train for the job
The Duma’s press office has announced that the Amendments to Certain Laws of the RF Federal Bill, which deals with
the training of people who wish to undertake the upbringing of parentless
children, has passed its first reading.Tatyana Yakovleva, a member of the
Duma’s Health Committee and a distinguished doctor, said that the main point
was that the training should not become a formal process undertaken just to
‘tick boxes’. She pointed out that over 8,000 children in Russia are returned
to children’s homes every year — around 6,000 on the initiative of the family
itself and around 1,000 because the placing had been inappropriate in the first
place.
Statistics show that about 30% of those wishing to remove a child
from an institution are not suited to the foster parent role. The reason is
that they are not properly prepared for the difficulties that they will have to
face in bringing up a child. Dr Yakovleva added: ‘Previously candidates have
been advised to undergo instruction in matters educational, psychological and
legal before resolving to act as substitute parents but they were not obliged to
do so. It was purely voluntary…Often conflictual situations have arisen owing
to ignorance of child psychology and because those involved have not known how
to reach a compromise with a child.’
http://www.asi.org.ru/ASI3%5Crws_asi.nsf/va_WebPages/6DCDC31E52418ABDC325792D00270370Rus