The Presidential Commissioner’s team visited 14 institutions in the region. The specialists examined public statements of work, analysed the activity of guardianship and custodianship agencies, as well as commissions for the affairs of minors, and interviewed parents.
The Children’s Commissioner discussed the preliminary results of the inspection with Governor of the Orel Region Andrei Klychkov.
Maria Lvova-Belova noted that last December, when the inspection was conducted, there were about 350 children living in the regional institutions. As of today, the number has reduced by almost 70 children. Overall, regional residential institutions are 60 percent full. According to Maria Lvova-Belova, the institutions’ activities should be refocused on family-oriented approaches, in particular, by developing social babysitting services to help families at home and at social centres, as well as opening daycare groups.
The Commissioner held an expanded meeting with heads of institutions of the system for preventing neglect and juvenile delinquency, as well as with members of the Commission for the Affairs of Minors and the Protection of Their Rights under the Orel Region Government, where recommendations developed following the inspection were discussed.
The Commissioner for Children’s Rights also held a working meeting with Chairperson of the Orel Regional Court Yelena Suvorova to discuss the region’s judicial practice in the sphere of protecting the rights of minors.
As part of her visit, Maria Lvova-Belova also conducted personal reception of citizens and visited the Malenkaya Strana (Small Country) Centre for children left without parental care.