Today, we will focus on explaining what a Family Children’s Home (RDD) is and who can run one. It is not a substitute for a home; it is a place providing safety, care, concern and love to children who, for various reasons, cannot live with their biological parents.
In such a home, there may be no more than eight children at any one time. Sometimes children return to their natural parents, provided that the parents are able to ensure proper care for them. Once their legal situation has been regulated, they may be adopted. When a young person reaches adulthood, they have a chance to become independent; if they are still studying, they remain in the care of their foster parents until they finish school.
Family Children’s Homes may be run by married couples as well as single people. The condition is completion of the training.
Candidates must have an impeccable reputation and a medical certificate confirming that their health allows them to provide proper care for children. They must not currently be, and must never have been, deprived of parental rights with regard to their own children, and they must not have committed an intentional crime. A decisive factor is the opinion of a psychologist, who assesses the motivation to undertake this difficult and responsible mission. Living and housing conditions are important and must be good enough to give the children a sense of stability and suitable conditions for studying and resting.
Running an RDD is a mission, but also a full-time job, around the clock, seven days a week. Therefore, caregivers are entitled to remuneration of no less than PLN 2,000 gross per month. To cover the child’s living costs, parents receive PLN 1,052 per month. If a child has a disability certificate, they additionally receive PLN 211 plus a PLN 500 child benefit—for each child—until the child reaches 18 years of age.
RDDs also receive financial support, including, when necessary, for renovating an apartment or house. Children’s holidays away from their place of residence are co-financed. The list of benefits available to people running RDDs is truly extensive.
It must be remembered that children’s stay in an RDD is not adoption. Children need special attention and care. They must also be guaranteed contact with their biological family unless a court decides otherwise.
When deciding to care for children, one must not give in to emotions. It must be a carefully considered decision made by the entire family.
Detailed information is available from the Poviat Family Support Centre at 2 Piłsudskiego Square (the “round building”):
tel. 75 612 17 82, 88, 89
e-mail: centrum@pcpr.boleslawiec.pl
www.pcpr.boleslawiec.pl.