Salvation in foster care: We love children, but family is the best

In the Mladost Children's Home in Bijela, the only institution for housing children without parental care, where there are a hundred children and young people up to the age of 18, 18 oro children are under the age of three, and 40 - oro are of pre-school age.

Although children and young people have all the attention, care, and love of their teachers, the visitor at the first meeting, especially with babies who reach out their hands and ask for a hug, realize how much these children miss the warmth and environment of family and family home. That is why these experienced and dedicated people agree that adoption and foster care is the right way for children to grow up in a family - the most natural environment.

In Montenegro, according to official data, 320 children are placed in foster families, of which only 14 are in unrelated families.

"So far experience has shown that foster families in Montenegro were not sufficiently prepared, nor did they have systemically resolved support services. I hope that by changing the way foster parents are prepared for such a responsible job, the results will be better and I have no doubts about the humanity of Montenegrin society", Đukanović is convinced.

In the Children's Home, their wards are preparing for the transition to a foster family. Đukanović points out that the child's own opinion is highly respected.

In Montenegro, according to official data, 320 children are placed in foster families, of which only 14 are in unrelated families. In Herceg Novi, 12 children are placed in 9 foster families. Three are in unrelated families. In that city, children from other municipalities of Montenegro are placed in 2 foster families.

The previous practice of protecting children and youth without parental care in our country was, to a large extent, based on placing children in institutions or with the closest relatives. Scientific research indicates that no child under the age of 3 should be placed in institutions, and this is now foreseen in the new Law on Social Child Protection of Montenegro.

In the print edition for November 10, read:

• How to become a foster parent
• About the experience of Nada Stojkanović from Pljevlja, who nine months ago took two children from the Children's Home in Bijela into foster care
• How Montenegro will become one of the first countries in the region to eradicate institutionalization of children under the age of 3

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