Every year, more than 3,000 children are added to the large group of orphaned and vulnerable children in welfare. This statistic draws more attention during National Children's Week, which takes place from October 8 to 13, and provides an opportunity to examine the status of this group in Iranian society, who are still deprived of the blessing of family life.
Experience of Life in a 'Family'
The process of easing regulations began in 2013 and now allows these children to experience their childhood within a family framework instead of living in dormitories. The Deputy for Social Health of the Welfare Organization announced at the World Children's Day ceremony at the Ameneh Infant Home that the comprehensive monitoring system for welfare children and adolescents will be unveiled this week. This system enables managers and officials to monitor the status of children in real-time.
Read more: Breeding a pharmacist crocodile in Malayer as the only farm in the Middle East
Challenges of Caring for Orphaned Children
Infant homes, which are spaces for the care of children under 6 years old, are all government-run and located in provincial centers. Hamidreza Alvand, the director of the Children and Adolescents Office of the Welfare Organization, emphasized the importance of specialized human resources in these centers. Until two decades ago, the number of children cared for in these centers reached 400 to 500, but with the approval of the Law on the Support of Orphaned Children and Adolescents in 2013, the conditions for adoption and placing children with qualified families have been eased.
Alvand states: "Now, most adoptions occur for children under 6 years old, and these laws enable judicial authorities to place children with suitable families, disregarding complex cases." The Welfare Organization has a legal and religious obligation to support orphaned children, and therefore, the connection of these children with the organization is not severed.
At the end of National Children's Week, the comprehensive monitoring system for welfare children and adolescents will be officially unveiled. This system has been the wish of many welfare experts and has undergone over two years of expert work for its implementation. This system can provide managers with accurate information about the status of each child under its care.
Read more: IRGC Navy Command: Action against violating vessels will occur throughout the region · Seyed Javad Hosseini: Iran is on the brink of an aging population
