Opportunities of the Social Protection System to Improve the Quality of Life of Substitute Families in the Republic of Mordovia: Analysis of the Research Results

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of the possibilities of the social protection system to improve the quality of life of substitute families in the Republic of Mordovia. The authors conclude that a substitute family is not a legally defined term for any type of family that accepts a child (children) left without parental care. Social protection of a substitute family is a system of support provided by providing a set of social services to the family in order to preserve and strengthen the social, psychological and physical health of members of the foster family and prevent secondary abandonment of the child. Professional formation and support of substitute families is one of the most important stages in the work of specialists working with a child placed in a family and members of this family. The results of the research presented in the article suggest that in General, substitute parents in the Republic of Mordovia are satisfied with the socio-psychological and socio-legal knowledge obtained during the preparation and decision-making on the creation of a substitute family. Adaptation and upbringing of a foster child, the features of children who have a traumatic experience of breaking up with their biological parents and the features of their development in adolescence – are the topics that were most significant for the substitute parents. The authors observed that adoptive families are heterogeneous both in terms of social well-being in General, and by the presence and intensity of elements, and therefore family policies should focus not only on the institution of foster families in General, but to be differentiated in relation to different groups. The results obtained provide a scientific basis for such a differentiated policy, which corresponds to the principle of targeting, widely declared in social policy and social work.