News
State President understands the LFFS criticism submitted to the Parliamentary amendments
Wednesday, September 10, the President of Latvia Andris Berzins met with representatives of the Latvian Foster Family Association (LFFA) in order to discuss the progress made, as well as the current issues that need to be addressed to improve the current situtation of foster care for children in Latvia.
LFFA representatives criticized the amendments to the Civil Law, which provides for significant changes in the legal framework in the field, providing a for a significant decrease in the scope of guardians. The amendments to the Civil Law, if passed, would mean that it would be more difficult to become a child guardian and therefore more children would end up in orphanages. This is goes against the goals LFFA, and chairwoman Ilze Golvere emphasized that currently, LFFA supports 175 families and 345 children. However, it needs to be considered that in total, 8000 children in Latvia have lost thir parents’ care, and that 2000 children remain in orphanages. The amount of children in orphanages needs to be decreased, not increased.
During the discussion, LFFA representatives also raised the issue of a possible increase of the benefits received by guardians for child maintenance. Since the late 1990s, the amount child guardinas have received per child for child care from the state has been only 45,53 EUR, which, in the association's opinion, is insufficient for a child's basic needs. President Berzins, stressed that there would need to be concrete proposals and arguments presented in order to raise the minimum stipend that guardians receive per child for child maintenance.
Association chairwoman Ilze Golvere thanked the President and First Lady for their support of foster families and for their successful cooperation.
— September 22, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, the President of Latvia Andris Berzins met with representatives of the Latvian Foster Family Association (LFFA) in order to discuss the progress made, as well as the current issues that need to be addressed to improve the current situtation of foster care for children in Latvia.
LFFA representatives criticized the amendments to the Civil Law, which provides for significant changes in the legal framework in the field, providing a for a significant decrease in the scope of guardians. The amendments to the Civil Law, if passed, would mean that it would be more difficult to become a child guardian and therefore more children would end up in orphanages. This is goes against the goals LFFA, and chairwoman Ilze Golvere emphasized that currently, LFFA supports 175 families and 345 children. However, it needs to be considered that in total, 8000 children in Latvia have lost thir parents’ care, and that 2000 children remain in orphanages. The amount of children in orphanages needs to be decreased, not increased.
During the discussion, LFFA representatives also raised the issue of a possible increase of the benefits received by guardians for child maintenance. Since the late 1990s, the amount child guardinas have received per child for child care from the state has been only 45,53 EUR, which, in the association's opinion, is insufficient for a child's basic needs. President Berzins, stressed that there would need to be concrete proposals and arguments presented in order to raise the minimum stipend that guardians receive per child for child maintenance.
Association chairwoman Ilze Golvere thanked the President and First Lady for their support of foster families and for their successful cooperation.