Five foster parents - Gordana Strbo from the eastern town of Vinkovci, Silvija Vrgoc from the Dalmatian town of Solin, Marija Ivanusic from the northern town of Varazdin Breg, Mara Andjelic from Trnjan, and Dubravka Cordasev from the northern town of Djurdjevac - were presented with annual awards for the promotion of foster parenting in 2021.

The awards, consisting of a certificate of recognition and a 5,000 kuna reward, were presented by the Family and Social Policy Minister Josip Aladrovic.

The ceremony was also addressed by young people who have grown up in foster families, one of whom said that people often do not understand the difference between foster parenting and adoption and that one should seek to obtain more information about foster care, as there is a large number of children in need of help.

Last week, an action plan for the social welfare system was officially presented, Minister Aladrovic said, adding that a national council for development of social policies was formed, one of its priority tasks being the promotion of foster parenting and an increase in the number of foster parents and foster children.

“There is no alternative to non-institutional care and we will work proactively on it and in cooperation with all associations, UNICEF, the foster care association “Forum za kvalitetno udomiteljstvo” and everyone else concerned,” he said.

He stressed that a task force had been formed to define amendments to the Foster Care Act that would additionally promote foster parenting.

Aladrovic added that the ministry planned to have the amended law on foster care go into force on 1 January 2022 and that in order to encourage foster parenting, compensation for foster parents would have to be increased and conditions for those wishing to provide foster care relaxed while putting children’s interests first.