YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A program on introduction of the institution of guardian is being implemented in Gegharkunik, Lori and Kotayk marzes by the RA ministry of labor and social issues with the help of the Center of Children's Reception and Orientation of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR). NT correspondent was informed by the Center's director Mira Antonian that the program organizes the care of children from orphanages in guardian families by allocating sums for this purpose. Until now such families have been financed by the UNICEF, but henceforth the state will carry out this function. It was mentioned that serious studies are done before placing children in these families. According to M. Antonian, 20 children currently live in guardian families, and employees of the Center often visit them. "The most important thing is that the children grow up in a family environment," she said. Speaking about the system of adoption in Armenia, she expressed an opinion that it is in need of serious changes. "During the program's implementation we discovered great resources: in Armenia, thousands of people are ready to adopt a child, at the same time thousands of children are in special establishments," she said. In her words, if many of these chidren are not adopted, it means that the system has problems.

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