Fixing Broken Families in Post-Soviet Russia
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p022-23_June 13_PSW_templates 23/05/2013 15:39 Page 14 Professional Social Work • June 2013 22 Russia Fixing broken families in post-Soviet Russia Until recently, Russia believed unwanted children were best cared for in the country’s vast network of orphanages. Now, however, adoption and fostering are increasingly seen as the answer. Sue Kent travelled to Dzerzhinsk with BASW’s Russian Network Group to visit a project trying to unite families. or decades, it was Russia’s hidden vast institutional care system. Many of the so- relative infancy and professionals working with shame: hundreds of thousands of called orphans are disabled. The rest are children and families are looking to countries in F children abandoned in huge children who are not wanted or cannot be cared the west for guidance. government-run care homes, for by their parents or have suffered abuse or In May, members of BASW’s Russian often with little stimulation or neglect. Network Group visited Dzerzhinsk, a city in experience of the outside world. According to Today, however, things are changing, and central Russia. The aim of the trip was to meet estimates, some 700,000 children currently live Russia’s orphanages are opening up. In 2010, Russian colleagues and evaluate a social work- in about 2,000 state-run orphanages where then President Dmitry Medvedev, announced led project which is seeking to prevent family resident populations can be as high as 400. there should be no orphans in Russia, breakdown and avoid children being taken into These children are not orphans as we proclaiming: “Guardianship must be directly care. It also aims to support those in care to understand the term. In Russia, they are called focused on child placement in families and return to their families, a concept unheard of in “social orphans” because the vast majority – helping foster families.” the past. 90% according to UNICEF – have at least one It was a radical shift in policy, for until Dzerzhinsk is one of Russia’s principal living parent. They are children the state recently, Russia did not even have an adoption production sites for chemical weapons which, believed would be better looked after in Russia’s or fostering service. Social work is still in its until recently, was closed to foreign visitors. It p022-23_June 13_PSW_templates 23/05/2013 15:39 Page 15 June 2013 • Professional Social Work Russia 23 has a reputation as one of the world’s most polluted cities with a life expectancy, according THE RUSSIAN ORPHANAGE SYSTEM SETS UP to some measurements, of only 42 years for A VICIOUS CYCLE. AS MANY AS NINE OUT men and 47 for women. The project sits within a Government-funded OF TEN GRADUATE ORPHANS END UP IN team known as the Adoption and Fostering and Guardianship Department (AFG). CRIME, PRISON OR PROSTITUTION. AFG departments exist across Russia and originally served a purely administrative BREAKING THIS CYCLE IS KEY TO THE AFG. function. Their main aim is still to ensure children moving into care retain their rights over residency and property. But with the shift number of orphans is shrinking but the in emphasis from a medical and legal approach percentage of social orphans is rising”. to a more social model, there has been Cynics might put this down to the efforts of recognition that, with the right support, those who have a vested interest in maintaining children can be reunited with their families the vast amount of state funding that rather than placed in large institutions. Or, even orphanages attract – equal to £35,000 per child more radically for Russia, there is now an every year according to some accounts. understanding that children can be fostered or The Kremlin has told provincial governments adopted by people wanting their own families. that reducing the number of children in The Dzerzhinsk project secured funding from orphanages is one of the key policy areas on Quaker’s Friends House Moscow to help deliver which they will be judged. But even so, in cities this agenda. Working in an area in which social and towns far from Moscow’s sight, the pace of and health problems are rife keeps the team change can be slow. busy. In 2011, it dealt with 3,817 families, either Svetlana believes part of her role is to educate from Dzerhzinsk or its nine surrounding people about the new way of doing things. She settlements. Last year, this had risen to 4,328 Svetlana Verschinina regularly gives talks, attends training events and families. It is not unusual for 100 people to be makes media appearances. She believes seen in a single day. Teenagers can self-refer, transparency is crucial so that everyone can see there is a drop-in service and an out-of-hours “share a passion and love of this work”. All of what is happening and what is being achieved. duty scheme run by staff on a voluntary basis. them are highly educated, having at least two This, in turn, helps encourage people to engage The effects of institutionalisation run deep degrees in psychology, teaching or law, and all with services. among Russia’s children and the team has been have experience working in orphanages or with The project we visited is symbolic of Russia’s working closely with psychologists. Big Family, families in educational or other settings. changing relationship with its children. As a Christian charity set up to help Russia’s The job is extremely demanding and staff Svetlana says: “Russians can love their children, orphans, states: “The Russian orphanage deal with highly emotional issues. All the other countries respect them.” But by system sets up a vicious cycle. Orphans children they meet are in need. Some find it empowering families to better look after their graduate at age 15 or 16 without family, without hard to communicate, others are not clear offspring and put an end to their abandonment support systems and without guidance. They about what they want, who their parents are – and institutionalisation this respect is emerging often turn to drugs and alcohol, they have or even who they are. on the ground. children and their children become orphans.” As in the UK, child poverty is a problem in Last year, a BBC news crew filmed inside As many as nine out of ten graduate orphans Dzerzhinsk, along with growing unemployment Russia’s orphanages. Recalling the day his end up in crime, prison or prostitution, and housing difficulties. The state is attempting mother decided to place him into care, one of according to one report. Breaking this cycle is to tackle financial poverty by providing benefits, the young residents said: “She locked herself in key to the AFG’s work. and there is support for people with large the bathroom so she wouldn’t be able to look The Dzerhzinsk team is led by the families of three or more children. Looked after at me. I knocked on the door. I even wept, but charismatic Svetlana Verschinina. She is children get priority for university places, free that didn’t help because I realised it was responsible for four residential homes caring for medication and free or cheap transport. They pointless. If someone’s abandoned you it means 298 children, a stark contrast to the UK where also pay no tax in their early years of they don’t need you.” the number of residents in children’s homes employment and benefit from free schooling This should increasingly become an rarely runs into double figures. and free school meals. experience of the past for more of Russia’s Last year, the team found foster homes for Accommodation is a difficult and complex children with developing international 600 children, while a further 129 were adopted. area, as children can be given land or property relationships helping to forge a new kind of Eight children returned home from orphanages and sometimes arguments erupt between looked after system in Russia. following in-depth work with their families. In adults over ownership. It is the AFG’s Projects such as the Dzerhzinsk scheme give 2012, 90 parents lost parental rights, but a few responsibility to resolve such disputes. hope that positive change is already years ago the figure was double that. The Transforming a culture that until recently taking place across the country. PSW service is currently carrying out ongoing favoured institutionalising the society’s most intensive work with 18 parents. vulnerable citizens into one that provides Svetlana’s clear and passionate leadership support services to keep them at home cannot and the positive working relationships the team be achieved overnight – and there is resistance BASW’s Russian Network Group plans to has developed with other professionals, as well to change. continue working with Dzerzhinsk. Anyone as children and families, is key to its success. Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner interested in getting involved should contact Svetlana describes her team as a family who Pavel Astakhov noted recently that “the Sue Kent by email: [email protected].