The Department of Social Rights has issued the Acollir és fer família campaign with the aim of increasing the number of foster families in Catalonia. Today, there are 783 of them that host 927 minors and 139 that collaborate. 2000 of them are still in centers and institutions.
The exposed campaign will continue until December in Tarragona, El Vendrell (Alt Penedès), Amposta (Montsià), Girona, Lleida, La Seu d'Urgell (Alt Urgell) and Manresa (Bages).
Although Minister Campuzano affirms that the Catalan system of shelters is efficient, he points out that there are "too many" kids in institutions because their families cannot take care of them. Given this, the director of the Institut Català de l'Acolliment i l'Adopció, Josep Maria Forné, has added that they are also carrying out a deinstitutionalization as it is the family who ensures a more guaranteeing environment.
Forné is aware that host families will not emerge "from one day to the next." Therefore, they will reinforce support for them; they will lighten and renew the reception processes, and carry out awareness and sensitization campaigns throughout Catalonia.
The Government offers incentives to foster families: 496 euros for each minor between 0 and 9 years old, 532 euros for each minor between 10 and 14 years old, and 563 euros for each minor between 15 and 18 years old hosted. Apart from supplements from 90 to 1800 euros depending on the type of reception and the circumstances of the minor, among other factors.
Along the same lines, during this week, the Catalan administration has approved increasing the Respir complementary benefit: the 60 euros per foster minor becomes 90, which can reach up to 120 in the case of minors with a disability of 65% or in an educational coexistence unit. .
The Generalitat budget for 2023 will inject 435.71 million euros, 13% more than last 2022, for this purpose. This money will be allocated to the area of family support, care for children and adolescents and youth policies.
Forné has emphasized that the reception that becomes adoption in Catalonia "is not exceptional, nor is it common", but that the law allows it. He also clarifies that the child protection system looks after the good of the minor regardless of the demands of families.
