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We have no right to take a child from family due to poverty, which does not refer to cases of children with disabilities, without parental care, child abandonment, Head of the Family, Women and Children Department at Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Geghanush Gyunashyan told reporters at the press conference.

According to provided data, about 660 children are sheltered at Armenia’s six state orphanages, 550 out of which  - with severe disability.

“80% of children in orphanages are with disabilities and are taken to residential institutions after they are born,” Gyunashyan stressed.

To the ministry official, their primary aim is the gradual establishment of services to help the families, to provide strength, resources and opportunities to parents, families in order to prevent from handing a child with disability to the state care.

Gyunashyan informed that in Armenia the culture of adopting children has not formed yet, though the institution is established. Each year 25 adoptive families are financed by 140 000 AMD within the state sponsored program. At present 15 children live in such families and10 places are still open.  The child adoption procedure is preceded by the assessment of the need.

“We have much to do in this direction. The adoptive family should be specialized, be ready to give a shelter to a child with disability. The practice is common in other states,” Gyunashyan said, adding that some 3500 children attend night care schools of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Ministry of Education and Science.

“They are not separated from their families, which means their return to own families may be facilitated easier. They join their families on weekends and spend the summer with the parents,” she informed, mentioning that one reason for children being in night care schools is heavy socioeconomic conditions.

However, the specialists, she says, do not accept justifications for placing children in residential child care institutions due to poverty and living conditions

“There are cases when parents are not aware of employment services, they may apply. They should find the strength, for finding a job. In most cases parents have even no basic parental skills. Unfortunately, we have faced the so-called poverty syndrome, when people are accustomed to their status and have no desire to step up and get out of their status,” Gyunashyan concluded.