The Minister of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare, has stressed the need to raise awareness and inform society about the benefits of this figure in the protection of children and adolescents. In this line, the minister has presented the institutional campaign "You will be my home", which pursues this goal while finding families for children in residential centers. The campaign will be disseminated on the web and social networks of the Ministry during the coming weeks.

According to the latest official data, as of December 31, 2018, the children served by the child protection system were 40,828. Of these, 19,545, almost 48%, are in foster care but just over 52%, that is, 21,283 children are in residential care.

"The year 2018 has represented a turning point in the trajectory of foster care in Spain since before this was the main measure adopted by the child protection services of the autonomous communities and yet now it is not so," he said Carcedo

The minister has insisted that "the best interests of the child must always prevail", regulated in LO 8/2015, of July 22. "Thanks to the countries that have evaluated it, we know that foster care better pursues that best interest of the child; well-designed experiences confirm the benefits of this measure in the social evolution and integration of children and adolescents."

Carcedo has indicated that "the dedication of professionals who care for children in residential care is intense but the family is the human group that accompanies them in their growth and in the transition in adult life, offers affection and protection."

Lines of work

The minister has also confirmed the need to adapt the foster care program to the current reality. Therefore, the Ministry has worked together with public protection entities and autonomous communities to establish common criteria and standards of coverage, quality and accessibility in the essential elements of family foster care procedures.

Among them is the evaluation of the educative aptitude of the families, the economic compensation with special attention to the needs derived from the reception of minors with disabilities, the informative campaigns and the means of promotion of the association of the welcoming people and families. "For this," said María Luisa Carcedo, "we agreed on October 2, a document in the Delegated Commission of Social Services of the Territorial Council of Social Services and the System of Autonomy and Care for Dependency."

On the other hand, work is currently being carried out on the application of the "Inter-territorial allocation mechanism" which should allow the assignment of minors from one autonomous community to another if there are no offerings of families in the territory of origin. "The objective – he explained – is to establish in a protocolized and agile way a communication channel that favors it".



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