Foster families in Republic Macedonia Elka Todorova Ministry of Labor and Social Policy

I.The right to being accommodated in a foster family in Republic of Macedonia is regulated by: I.The right to being accommodated in a foster family in Republic of Macedonia is regulated by: The social security law (1997) The social security law (1997) The Book of Regulations for criteria regarding the election of a foster family, the type and number of beneficiaries who can be accommodated in a foster family, the type and scope of services provided to the accommodated person and the amount of accommodation and foster benefit. (2006) The Book of Regulations for criteria regarding the election of a foster family, the type and number of beneficiaries who can be accommodated in a foster family, the type and scope of services provided to the accommodated person and the amount of accommodation and foster benefit. (2006)

II. The social security law anticipates foster for the following categories: II. The social security law anticipates foster for the following categories: Children without parents and parental care until ready to lead an independent life and work; maximum until finishing secondary education; Children without parents and parental care until ready to lead an independent life and work; maximum until finishing secondary education; Children with socio-educational problems ( neglected, abused and children who are not socially provided for) Children with socio-educational problems ( neglected, abused and children who are not socially provided for) Children with behavioral problems Children with behavioral problems People with special needs People with special needs The old population The old population

III.Foster family selection criteria: III.Foster family selection criteria: Age of people providing shelter ( from 18 to 65 years) Age of people providing shelter ( from 18 to 65 years) Education ( minimum primary education) Education ( minimum primary education) Health condition of people providing shelter Health condition of people providing shelter Moral reputation Moral reputation Financial situation Financial situation Housing conditions Housing conditions

- The family offering shelter must have successfully completed a training course for providing shelter conducted by an expert team of the Social Care Centre - The goal of these training courses is to prepare and introduce the people providing shelter with the tasks and obligations arising from their future status as shelter providers - The family offering shelter must have successfully completed a training course for providing shelter conducted by an expert team of the Social Care Centre - The goal of these training courses is to prepare and introduce the people providing shelter with the tasks and obligations arising from their future status as shelter providers

IV. Foster benefit The foster family receives a monthly pay for covering the expenses for accommodation and a pay for providing shelter and care to the accommodated person The foster family receives a monthly pay for covering the expenses for accommodation and a pay for providing shelter and care to the accommodated person In reference to the accommodation expenses there is no significant difference between the different categories of children accommodated in a foster family In reference to the accommodation expenses there is no significant difference between the different categories of children accommodated in a foster family

There is a difference in the monthly pay for care paid to the foster families depending on the category of children entitled to shelter. The pay for providing care for children without parents and parental care at pre-school age is the lowest (10% of the average monthly salary in Republic of Macedonia) whereas it is the highest for special needs children: 14.5% for those with medium and serious intellectual impairment, 16% for those with significant intellectual impairment and permanent bodily disability There is a difference in the monthly pay for care paid to the foster families depending on the category of children entitled to shelter. The pay for providing care for children without parents and parental care at pre-school age is the lowest (10% of the average monthly salary in Republic of Macedonia) whereas it is the highest for special needs children: 14.5% for those with medium and serious intellectual impairment, 16% for those with significant intellectual impairment and permanent bodily disability

V.Current situation of foster families in R. Macedonia V.Current situation of foster families in R. Macedonia 1.This type of child care in Republic of Macedonia is present since 1960 when the first foster families were recorded in the Social Care Centers. However, in the following period of 10 years there was a significant stagnation in the development of this type of shelter because the stress was placed on the institutional shelter of children 2.In recent years, especially since 2000, with the commencement of the deinstitutionalization process in Republic of Macedonia this type of child shelter has been implemented more frequently and the same has been developing 3.In the Republic of Macedonia there are currently 104 foster families with 169 sheltered children. Most of the shelter families are in Skopje: 45, Prilep: 25, Makedonski Brod: 15 and Kocani 13. However, this type of child shelter is not developed in all cities of Republic of Macedonia

VI. Competent Institutions VI. Competent Institutions In Republic of Macedonia the Social Care Centers are competent for the accommodation of children in foster families and the identification and monitoring of foster families. The experts in the Social Care Centers evaluate whether a certain family meets the conditions of being regarded as a foster family and they make decisions about which child shall be accommodated in which foster family. After the child has been accommodated in the foster family it is necessary that the experts from the Social Care Centre follow the development of the child and assist the family in providing shelter In Republic of Macedonia the Social Care Centers are competent for the accommodation of children in foster families and the identification and monitoring of foster families. The experts in the Social Care Centers evaluate whether a certain family meets the conditions of being regarded as a foster family and they make decisions about which child shall be accommodated in which foster family. After the child has been accommodated in the foster family it is necessary that the experts from the Social Care Centre follow the development of the child and assist the family in providing shelter

VII.Problems 1. From the practice so far, it is obvious that there is a lack of sufficient and regular monitoring of the foster families by the Social Service Centers due to various reasons; first of all due to the non-existence of standards for monitoring the foster families. 2. In order to provide the best possible care for children in accordance with the principle what is the best for the child, the Social Care Centers have recorded cases where the foster family is a close relative family which has been given the status of a foster family simply due to the financial support for providing shelter for the child. This is due to the fact that the children without parents and parental care are placed under custody of close relatives but, the custody of a child is a free of charge function according to the statutory provisions of Republic of Macedonia.

3. In Republic of Macedonia the accommodation in a foster family is very rarely used as a form of protecting children with socio-educational and behavioral problems since it requires special training of foster families due to the fact that they shall manage a special category of children usually with serious problems (drugs and alcohol addiction, anti-social behavior, aggression, mental impairment). However, there is no specialized sheltering (with parents –shelter providers as experienced experts) 4. Since the current laws do not regulate the conditions related to the health status of children, in practice there are cases when children with special needs and healthy children are placed in one family

VIII.What shall be done in future? 1. Prepare standards for monitoring of shelter families A special program shall be prepared for every accommodated child anticipating the child protection measures to be taken and their accomplishment. In the program, the expert team shall define the monitoring dynamics for each case with regular visits of the child in the shelter family. The Centre is responsible to contact the school in order to follow the course of the educational process, the general practitioner regarding the health condition of the child and to take other necessary measures in order to follow the development and education of the child A special program shall be prepared for every accommodated child anticipating the child protection measures to be taken and their accomplishment. In the program, the expert team shall define the monitoring dynamics for each case with regular visits of the child in the shelter family. The Centre is responsible to contact the school in order to follow the course of the educational process, the general practitioner regarding the health condition of the child and to take other necessary measures in order to follow the development and education of the child

2. In Republic of Macedonia the accommodation in a foster family is very rarely used as a form of protecting children with socio-educational and behavioral problems since it requires special training of foster families due to the fact that they shall manage a special category of children usually with serious problems (drugs and alcohol addiction, anti-social behavior, aggression, mental impairment). However, there is no specialized sheltering (with parents –shelter providers as experienced experts) 3. Since the current laws do not regulate the conditions related to the health status of children, in practice there are cases when children with special needs and healthy children are placed in one family

4. Take measures for increasing the level of citizens informing, their awareness and education about this form of child shelter so as to increase the motivation for providing shelter for children and more quality shelter families 5. It is necessary to anticipate sheltering of children by relatives or receiving a benefit for custody by close relatives in order to avoid the existence of shelter families of relatives as shelter families 6. Develop cooperation and inclusion of all entities on local level for assistance and support for shelter families