The Government programme announcing a welfare turn sets a target developing a family and child policy with security, targeted benefits and stronger solidarity. For the Ministry it is absolutely necessary to develop the child protection reform, and the child welfare and protection system, taking into account the individual needs of children and equal opportunities.

Within the child protection sector, differentiated services will be established via a grant application system offered for local governments mandated to fulfil these tasks, as well as for faith-based and civil organisations taking part in fulfilling these tasks.

In the framework of primary child welfare service development our Ministry shall provide support to the following

locally initiated programmes that aim at creating equal opportunities for young children (0-6 years) providing complex support to families raising small children in disadvantaged regions; special family services, preventing and treating violence within families, social work in hospitals for child protection services, and establishment of new services. Assistance of young mothers in a social crisis and their babies, as well as detection of cases of child abuse; publications related to violence against children; establishment of temporary homes providing temporary care for children, and accepting homeless families, and abused mothers.

The Ministry shall provide support, based on grant applications, for the development of institutions providing child protection special care, children's homes offering a home for disabled children subject to child protection care, establishment of special children's homes for children with physiological and dissocial symptoms, and taking psychoactive substances, already subject to child protection care, improvement of the operating conditions of the foster parent network, including the establishment of networks undertaking special foster parent services.

Those subject to child protection care will be able to rely on children's rights advocates who will start their activities in the near future and assist them in the enforcement of their rights and finding remedy for their claims.

Child protection coordinators started their work in county guardianship offices last year. These officers coordinate crime prevention programmes in the counties, which are organised for children and young people at risk and those who have already committed a crime.

The various types of financial aid under different entitlements also increase social security of families with children. Of these services the most important one is family allowance, which is a monthly state contribution to the expenses of child-raising. In 2003, more than 2 million children benefited from this type of support. After an increase of 28% in 2003, this year the family allowance will grow on average by 5.5%, which means that it has retained its real value.

In August 2002, the family allowance for the 13th month was also introduced, reducing the burden at the beginning of school. This increases the family allowance amount by more than 8%.
 
To ease the financial problems of parents with small children, grandparents are eligible to child care allowance, while retaining their full old-age pension, instead of their children, as a result of which young parents can go back to work. The annual 6.3% increase of maternity benefit and child care allowance in 2004 helps to retain the real value of the benefit. The real value of regular child protection support also increases. Since January 2004, children of parents eligible for regular child protection support receive meals free of charge in nurseries.