Penza, 27 March 2019. PenzaNews. Almost 97% of orphans and children left without parental care are brought up in substitute families in the Penza region. This was reported by Natalia Danilina, deputy head of the department of upbringing, additional education and protection of children's rights under the Ministry of Education of the region, at a meeting of the department on Wednesday, March 27.

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According to her, as of January 1, 2019, 3957 people belonged to this category in the region.

According to the Ministry of Education of the Penza region, 10 specialists of the centre of psychological, pedagogical, medical and social assistance provide support to substitute families. In 2018, they accepted 6,400 applications and provided more than 3,000 consultations, 1,758 of which were provided to foster parents, 119 – to those who want to become ones, and candidates for tutors and adoptive parents, 699 – to children from foster families. 777 consultations were held with specialists of educational institutions.

At the same time, there is a shortage of specialists in tutelage and guardianship in the areas of the region, in connection with which the number of jobs is planned to be gradually increased.

At the beginning of 2019, 129 people were registered in the regional databank of children left without parental care and in need of family placement. Over the past three years, the volume of the bank has decreased by 53 children, or 29%.