Social Welfare

 

The years of sanctions, wars, and abrupt pauperization of the population are behind us. The system of social welfare was in great difficulty over the lack of moneys to service the basic entitlements, such as child’s allowances, family allowances, advanced home help, pensions... As of October 2000, all the entitlements have been regularly serviced, the system has been stabilized and made sustainable. However, in the conditions of transition, which Serbia is presently undergoing, it is important to redefine the social policy so as to avoid repeated hurting of the most vulnerable strata of the population by the costs of the reforms.

For that reason, the Government of the Republic of Serbia committed itself to pursue socially accountable policy, in order to avoid the Latino-American model of development or a model of development applied in some former socialist countries that has caused major social stratification of the population. The Assembly of the City of Belgrade also supports such a policy by the concept of its own policy of support to the socially vulnerable citizens as additional and complementary to the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

LONG-TERM GOALS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE:

  • Assistance to families and individuals to achieve their minimal social security;
  • Creation of preconditions for independent life of invalids;
  • Assistance to the elderly persons who cannot look after themselves;
  • Care for children deprived of parental care;
  • Support to families from risk groups;
  • Improvement of the conditions for starting of young families, their training in responsible parenthood;
  • Encouragement of childbearing and special support to families with many children;
  • Prevention of violence and offering of assistance to the victims of violence.

City Center for Social Work is organized as an integral institution with 16 departments in all the Belgrade Municipalities.

City Institute of Gerontology, dealing with home medical treatment and care, is engaged in non-residential care of the elderly and seriously ill persons in the territory of 10 City municipalities. Annually, the Institute provides medical treatment and care to around 2,000 patients and daily provides services to about 1,200 patients at their homes.

Gerontology Center has seven homes for the elderly and 20 clubs. The Center accommodates about 1,360 beneficiaries.

Shelter for Homeless Adult Persons provides temporary accommodation to and placement of the citizens in the state of acute social need (about 80 beneficiaries per month).

Center for Protection of Infants, Children and Youth provides stationary care for infants up to three years old, residential care of pregnant women and mothers with children, and residential protection and placement of infants from three to seven years of age.

Reformatory Home for Children and Youth provides placement, vocational training, and health care of children and young persons with behavioral disorders. „Vasa Stajić” Home accommodates about a hundred children, and the Temporary Shelter provides accommodation to around 50 beneficiaries on average.

Center for Placement and Day Care of Children and Youth with Developmental Disorders has five day care centers and two institutions of residential type, and its overall capacity is 336 beneficiaries. For the beneficiaries of the day care centers, transport from the place of residence to the day care center and back is organized.

MINISTRY OF LABOR AND SOCIAL POLICY
Bul. Mihaila Pupina 2, tel. 3112-916, www.minrzs.gov.rs

CITY CENTER FOR SOCIAL WORK
Ruska 4, tel. 2650-329, fax 2650-542, www.gcsrbg.org

RED CROSS
Red Cross of Serbia, Simina 19, tel. 2621-574, fax 2634-348, www.redcross.org.rs
Red Cross of Belgrade, Simina 19/III, tel. 2620-616, fax 2622-381, www.crvenikrst011.org.rs