Preventing the Neglect of Children: Are we Still Stuck in the Practice of ‘Emergency First Aid’? A Case Study of Rostov Region.

Abstract

The issue of child neglect and orphanhood remains very relevant for today’s Russia and the question of how to prevent children ending up under the state’s care remains of key importance. Rostov Region is the 6^th most populous of Russia’s regions and an ideal object of study for making more general conclusions on the state of affairs in Russia. This article’s approach is based on three key sources of data. Firstly, there is an overview of key state documents regarding this area of policy. Secondly, the case study expands to an overview of specific institutional bodies involved in this question and how they attempt to support families and provide preventative care. To assist the study of these questions, nine expert interviews were conducted with key figures in Rostov region to provide their opinions of the problems. As the recent period has seen increased economic stabilization in the region and a reduction in the number of children in state care, this has allowed the institutions involved to shift away from ‘first-aid’ work (dealing with emergency cases) towards more effective preventative measures, to stop children falling into state care. What emerges is that the Russian authorities are still evolving there capabilities in this task, databases are being built of those children most in need of help, ‘high-risk’ families are being targeted for support and Social Rehabilitation Centres are beginning to play their role with a less paternalistic or bureaucratic style. This includes an increasing rejection of the myth of ‘bad parents’ in favour of a more nuanced view of the situation. This includes economic pressures, lack of state support and absence of the help of an extended family as well as the ‘typical’ factors of alcoholism and domestic violence. In understanding the variety of factors pushing parents to give their children to orphanages, we can move toward more effective means of prevention by successfully identifying families under threat and taking the necessary action to keep them above water.