Development of the Decade of Childhood program discussed at the RUSSIA EXPO

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On June 14, a plenary session was held at the RUSSIA EXPO as part of the VI All-Russian Conference on the Implementation of the Decade of Childhood. Participants discussed the role of social institutions in improving the quality of life for adolescents.

In Russia, 24 million families are raising over 30 million children, stated Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Chernyshenko in his address to the plenary session participants. During the implementation of the Decade of Childhood, significant attention is being paid to raising the level and quality of life for children.

"This area of work is defined as one of the national development goals of Russia until 2030, established by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Active work in this direction is built on the results of more than 200 thematic scientific studies. Significant changes have occurred in the fields of education, culture, sports and tourism. Primarily, they provide each child and their parents the opportunity to choose an individual development path and realize their potential," stated Dmitry Chernyshenko in his address.

Teachers, doctors, cultural workers, sports, youth and social policy workers, as well as law enforcement officers, are involved in creating a favorable environment for children, noted Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov.

"Today, it is important to analyze the results of the work and determine new vectors in light of the tasks set by the President. I am confident that with your support and assistance, we can find the right ways to develop initiatives in the field of childhood," said Sergei Kravtsov in a video message to the participants.

One of the key tasks within the Decade of Childhood is combating social orphanhood, emphasized Maria Lvova-Belova, the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights. She announced the launch of a nationwide inspection of regional systems for preventing social orphanhood with the support of the head of state.

"The task is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the activities of commissions on juvenile affairs, guardianship and trusteeship authorities, social and educational institutions to improve their work. We will analyze the management and subordination system, staff composition, budget distribution quality, efficiency indicators, and family assistance orientation. Then, together with the regions, we will develop and implement solutions. Following the inspection, we will prepare a report with an analysis of the situation and proposals. Visiting social institutions in the regions, we see that often timely help is needed to prevent a child from ending up in institutional care," noted Maria Lvova-Belova in a video message.

At the plenary session, the results of a study on children's subjective opinions about their well-being in all areas of life were presented. Since 2021, this study has been conducted by the Moscow State University of Psychology and Education commissioned by the Ministry of Education of Russia. More than 20 regions and about 150,000 children participated in the study. According to the results, 97% of adolescents feel subjectively healthy, but 64% complain of reduced energy levels, and 42% often experience significant mood declines. The Decade of Childhood event program will be updated to address new challenges in the field of childhood, with the updates beginning at the regional level.

The Decade of Childhood was launched in 2018 on the initiative of President Vladimir Putin. The seven-year plan for the program, approved in 2021, includes 129 activities covering issues such as children's health, well-being, quality of life, development, upbringing and education.