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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Better quality of life for children with special needs

Belgrade, 13 January 2009

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic, director of Save the Children for South-Eastern Europe Dragana Strinic and director of the Centre for the Accommodation of Children and Youth Dobrila Grujic today signed an agreement on a partnership for the realisation of the project "Special Care for Special Needs".

Author: Fonet

A total of €960,000 for the realisation of the project, aimed at improving the quality of life for children with special needs and improving specialised foster care for children in social care institutions, will be provided by the European Commission and "Save the Children". The project will last until 2011.

Following the signing Ljajic said that the main goal is to place fewer children in institutions and children’s homes and more with their biological relatives and families.

He stressed that 130% more children live with foster families now than in 2002 and specified that approximately 4,000 children currently live in 3,400 foster families in Serbia.

He said that the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy sets aside RSD 116 million per month for the development of foster care and will soon open 16 regional centres.

The Minister announced that reform of the social care system will be continued.

British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth pointed out that all modern countries are dealing with the same problem and appreciated the British organisation Save the Children’p s participation in the project.