Astakhov: NCFD regions need children's psychological services

Pavel Astakhov, Children's Ombudsman at the President of the Russian Federation, has justified, in his report on the outcomes of his inspection visit to Northern Caucasus, the need to set up psychological services for children in the NCFD (North-Caucasian Federal District). According to his story, many children and teenagers in Chechnya grew up amidst warfare and have traumas and wounds.

Besides, most of the children are wounded emotionally and need psychological rehabilitation, which can be provided only by qualified specialists. There are almost none of them in Chechnya. Same is in North Ossetia, which lived through the Beslan terror act.

According to the Ombudsman, this offer has been formulated and delivered to the President of Russia. There are also problems related to children's rest in the Caucasus.

"I was upset with the state, the children's rest camps have; for example, in Dagestan. They have the smart coast of the Caspian Sea there, and many old Soviet children's camps. Only a few of them are normally operated. In my opinion, it's quite realistic to restore what is already there and build quite a lot anew," Mr Astakhov has noted.

"Revival of honorary titles 'Mother's Glory' is a positive example. I was present in Karachai-Circassia at a ceremony of awarding orders and honorary signs. Premiums are paid to mothers-heroines. In Dagestan, Karachai-Circassia and Kabardino-Balkaria the respective legislation at the republic's level was passed. In Dagestan, 100,000 roubles are paid for every tenth and following child, and in Karachai-Circassia - 10,000 roubles."

Pavel Astakhov made a special discourse on his impressions about visiting Chechnya.

"The Grozny of today reminds Dubai: new houses, beautiful avenues, fountains and cultural establishments. However, social progress fails to keep up with the technical and infrastructural ones. The number of professionals working with children is the lowest in Russia. One professional working in a children's educational establishment has to take care of 26 or 30 children, while the standard for Russia is 5-6 children per specialist," the Ombudsman has noted.

Another Chechnya's specificity, as noted by Mr Astakhov, is that schools and boarding houses for children-orphans and children remaining without parental care are full of children from full families. "Out of 180 pupils, there're only 15 orphans. The others are just from needy families. <> We need to create special establishments, where needy families could send their children," the Ombudsman believes.