Along with its social development, China has begun to adopt various methods for taking care of disabled orphans. Instead of living in social welfare institutions, more and more abandoned children find temporary boarding families and are put under the care of neighborhood communities.
While living standards are rising, an increasing number of people pay closer attention to the welfare of disabled orphans -- they need to grow up to be healthy, both physically and psychologically.
According to statistics, more orphans have been adopted in recent years. The Ministry of Civil Affairs has adopted a policy to encourage families to take foster children so as to help them grow up in a caring home and a normal social community. Many examples show that orphans who grow up with foster families find it easier to enter society and begin their own social lives. They generally have less psychological stress.
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the focus of the new welfare work policy is to improve orphanage services and further improve the quality of orphans' lives, and not just for their survival. To complete the work, foster family offices and relevant offices will be set up to provide support to families who have adopted disabled children.
Statistics show most abandoned children want to grow up with a family.
Are foster children satisfied with their foster lives? A report on the research of the management measures of foster children, which was published by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, shows that most foster families are taking good care of their foster children.
Zen Fanlin, an official who took part in the research, said that most interviewed foster children feel happy with their foster families. When asked whether they would like to go back to live in an orphanage, they all expressed their wish to always live with foster parents.
The research also shows that foster families provide better living conditions and more study opportunities for the children. Disabled orphans who grow up in foster families can get along well with family members of different generations, making it easier for them to integrate with society.
China now has 178 state-sponsored orphanages, in addition to the many welfare-house-related children departments. In total, there are more than 600 organizations offering direct help to handicapped orphans, taking care of more than 54,000 children. Many families who have disabled children also benefit from these organizations by receiving aid for children's rehabilitation and vocational training.
(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan January 28, 2004)
