Every child has the right to grow up in a family. For this reason, in 2001, a new profession appeared in the Republic of Moldova, which is not an ordinary one and requires a lot of dedication and kindness – the profession of being a parent (professional parental assistant). It is a social service provided by the state and is one of the best solutions for children separated from their biological families.
Who is the Foster Carer?
The foster carer or the parent-educator is the person who offers temporary care in his/her family to a child at risk, but also provides support in the reintegration of the child into his biological or extended family. When the child obtains adoption status, the professional parental assistant contributes to the child’s adequate preparation for this event. He/she encourage the child to keep relationships with his parents, where appropriate. It is a family-type service as an alternative to orphanages.
Besides, the Foster Carer is employed, receives a monthly salary (from MDL 2,800 to 4,700), medical insurance policy, labor card and individual employment contract. One child, two or a maximum of three children can be adopted within Foster Family, if they are brothers and sisters. You cannot adopt children who are your relatives.
How can you become a Foster Carer?
For more details, please, call the Social Assistance Department in your district or call CCF/HHC Moldova for a consultation: 022 24 32 26.
You will have a first telephone discussion with the coordinators of this service, you will get a primary telephone consultation and you will appoint a subsequent direct meeting at the Professional Parental Assistance Service.
If you are from other districts of the Republic of Moldova, submit an application to the Mayor’s Office, to the social worker or to the District Social Assistance Department and inform the authorities that you want to become a Foster Carer. Along with this application, you will also submit a set of documents about your health, family income, housing space, etc.
After submitting the application, the local social worker will come to your home to perform an assessment. The commission will make a final decision based on the evaluation and the set of documents submitted.
Training of a parent-educator is a complex process that includes several phases: informing, training, assessment, approval, matching with children, adoption of children and continuous support provided to children within this service.
What kind of support will you get from the state?
The adopted child will benefit from annual and monthly allowances: the monthly allowance per child makes up MDL 1,400, and MDL 1,820 per child with disabilities; the single adoption allowance offered once a year depends on the child’s age and needs: 0-1 years – MDL 7,377, 1-3 years – MDL 5,533, 3-18 years – MDL 3,688, and for children with disabilities – MDL 4,795; the single allowance upon reaching the age of 18 makes up MDL 1,000; also children, starting at the age of 7, also receive daily allowances, on birthdays and holidays.
According to the latest official data from the end of 2020, over 400 foster carers worked in the Republic of Moldova, 332 of which were approved with our direct intervention.
