Prevention is often conducted formally.

The district prosecutor's office, other state bodies, and organizations engaged in the prevention of family dysfunction took specific measures in the first half of 2018 to prevent offenses and crimes among minors, enhance oversight of the enforcement of legislation on the protection of children's rights, and comply with the requirements of Presidential Decree No. 18 "On Additional Measures for the State Protection of Children in Dysfunctional Families".

The issue of early detection of family dysfunction remains significant, as it not only poses a real threat to the life and health of children but is also the main cause of negative manifestations in the adolescent environment, neglect, and the death of minors.

During the inspection of the activities of the social and pedagogical center, it was established that its work plans contain similar non-specific activities, duplicate responsibilities provided for by legislation, and are not aimed at real improvement of the work of educational institutions in preventing family dysfunction.

Moreover, the planned activities of the SPC are not always completed on time and are not reflected in the accounting journals.

The results of the study of preventive cases concerning children who have been in a socially dangerous situation for a long time and are registered with the SPC indicate that preventive work with this category of families is often conducted formally.

Analyzing the activities in the plans for the protection of minors, it should be noted that they are essentially similar for all families and do not take into account the specifics of the dysfunction of each of them.

For example, intentions such as "to engage in the material support of children," "to consult a narcologist," "to maintain trusting relationships with children," and "to accustom children to useful work" do not solve the problems of families that have been in a socially dangerous situation for a long time. The plans are slightly adjusted every six months, but the ineffectiveness of the activities from previous periods is not analyzed.

In conducting social investigations and accompanying families in socially dangerous situations, the social and pedagogical center provides educational institutions with methodological recommendations developed by the departments and the Ministry of Education, while the SPC itself does not provide sufficient methodological assistance. The number of its own developed technologies for helping children out of socially dangerous situations, based on the specifics of the region and the duration of the families' condition in a socially dangerous situation, is minimal.

As a result of the inspection, a corresponding representation was submitted to the education department.

Yulia Labut,
senior assistant
district prosecutor