Features of Functioning of SOS Children's Villages in Russia

摘要

The paper emphasizes the relevance of functioning of SOS Children's Villages in terms of reduction in the number of orphans in recent years and deinstitutionalization of traditional forms of their living arrangement, and identifies features of their structure in comparison with other forms. Indicators of the main activities of six SOS Children's Villages are analyzed based on the dynamics in 2009-2017, and their transformation from institutions into comprehensive programs and projects is shown. The authors distinguish the most important features of SOS Children's Villages functioning in Russia in conditions of active fundraising under insufficient government funding, reduced income from SOS Children's Villages International and increased donations from partner companies and individuals, implementation of programs and projects in the regions of village location only, duplication of certain activities of state organizations, changed legal status of a child brought up in SOS Children's Villages. It is concluded that despite mixed attitudes of researchers and public figures on activities of SOS Children's Villages in Russia, their most important results are the absence of repeated social orphanhood, reduced financial costs for raising orphans, involvement of SOS Children's Villages in the work of expert groups to develop and discuss various legislative acts for family and childhood protection, strengthening and expanding the concept of professional parenthood in Russia.