30 January 2008, 15:16
A relevant Bill 'On Amendments to Several Laws of Ukraine concerning State Support for Families who have adopted a child, either an orphan or a child removed from Parental care', was Registered in The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as urgent.
The Bill (Reg. No.1452) seeks to improve the social protection of Orphans and Children deprived of Parental care, and set up appropriate conditions for the realisation of their right to be brought up within a family environment.
The Bill creates amendments to the Law, 'On State Aid to Families with Children', by introducing a ‘One-off´ Grant on adoption of a child, and monthly Financial Support for the adopted child until his/her attainment of majority, of an amount equal to the Living Wage required for a child of corresponding age.
According to the Bill, 'where two or more children are adopted, Financial Support will be granted for each child'.
The Bill also proposes that 'the financial support on adoption of a child will be granted provided that the relevant application has been submitted within six months of the decision on the adoption of the child becomes effective'.
The Bill purports that 'Financial Support shall be granted upon adoption of a child irrespective of any other type of Aid received for this child'.
Amendments to the Law, 'On Holiday Leave', propose that compassionate leave of 90 calendar days is given to one of the adopters towards care of the adopted child, provided that the relevant application is submitted within three months of the decision on the adoption of the child becoming effective'.
The Explanatory Note to this Bill states that insufficient support, by the State, in the adoption of orphans and children deprived of parental care, has resulted in a yearly decrease in the number of such children adopted in Ukraine during the past 10 years. From 2000-2005, the number of children adopted by Ukrainian citizens has declined by 40 percent.
According to State statistical data, the number of orphans and children deprived of parental care at the beginning of 2007, in Ukraine, was 102,000 For 29,000 of them, there exist legal grounds for adoption. Yet the number of annual adoptions, by Ukrainian citizens, of children from this category, is only 1,400/1,500.
Experts consider that should this Bill be adopted, the expenditure required from the State Budget will total 290,654,000 Hryvnias.
The Legislative Initiator believes that the passing of this Bill will secure the right of an orphan, or a child deprived of parental care, to an upbringing in a family, and will also invigorate the adoptions of children by Ukrainian nationals, and improve the demographic situation in the country, due to improving the lifestyle of families with adopted children.