Future of almost 500 children unclear after
charity crisis
A
The future of some 470 children who were placed in children’s homes
operated by the Fund for Children in Need is uncertain. To this day, the
charity owes the state more than 22 million crowns in overdue social and health insurance payments for its
employees, and currently faces a threat of property seizure.
B
Established in 1990, the Fund for Children in Need is a charity
focusing on children who suffered abuse, were abandoned by their families or
are otherwise threatened. It provides them with immediate alternative care
when they cannot remain with their biological parents. The fund
currently employs around 400 people and operates 22 children’s homes, so-called
Klokáneks, around the country.
C
The fund’s director Marie Vodičková said the government has refused to help them
deal with their financial problems. She also blamed the Amendment to the Act on
Social and Legal Protection of Children, which came into force in January 2013:
“The ministry wants us to look after
children taken away by the state, but we are supposed to fund that care from
private donations and other sources. We tried to find a solution by arranging a
payment calendar, but that idea was rejected.”
D
The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs claims that the Fund for
Children in Need has had problems with financial management for years, despite
receiving more subsidies than most
of the other organisations providing immediate help to threatened children.
Petr Habáň, a
spokesman for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said: “The fund has in the past been granted
exceptional financial help amounting to 30 million crowns. In 2012 it requested
an additional 60 million crown subsidy but that was not approved. There are
dozens of similar organisations caring for kids in need who are able to deal
with the situation.”
E
Marie Vodičková argues that most of the other organisations
caring for children in need are operated by regional authorities and
therefore they are at least partially funded from their budget. If all fails
and the fund is forced to close down its homes, Petr Habáň says the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry can
guarantee the kids will not end up “on the
street”.
overdue – opožděný
seizure – zabavení
subsidies – dotace
1) Read the article and match each of the headings to
a paragraph.
1 Marie
Vodičková’s opinion
2 The
Fund for Children in Need is in debt
3 The fund
offers immediate help for children
4 Children
won’t end up on the street
5 Reaction
of the government
2) Read the article and answer the questions.
1 What is the
Fund for Children in Need?
2 What are
its problems?
3 Who is Marie
Vodičková? What does
she say?
4 Who is Petr
Habáň? How does he react?
5 How is
this fund and other organisations for children in need funded?
3) Explain the following words and phrases.
1 social
and health insurance
2 immediate
alternative care
3 biological
parents
4 threatened
children
5 operated
by regional authorities
4) Answer the following questions.
Who are children in need? What is Klokánek?
How does it work? What kind of children seek their refuge there? Who works in
Klokánek? What does the facility look like? What activities are offered?
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