The World Family Day proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 is observed on May 15. The main goal of this holiday is to draw public attention to needs and problems of families.
The Family Day is observed in every Russian region, awards and gifts are presented to families that give a worthy upbringing to their children, and festivals, theatric performances, contests and exhibitions are held.
State social support to families
Federal authorities have developed a system of measures to support families with children, and this system is being perpetually developed and upgraded.
The right to childcare allowances was granted to unoccupied women (women who are neither working nor studying) in 2007.
Two new types of allowances were introduced in 2008 for families of conscripts. Since January 1, 2013, the monthly allowance for children of conscripts reached 8,924 rubles, and pregnant wives of conscripts were entitled to one-time allowances of 20,823 rubles.
With the transition from the unified social tax to insurance contributions to state extra-budgetary funds and computation of insurance contributions on salaries not exceeding the annual limit (568,000 rubles from January 1, 2013) on January 1, 2010, direct limits on pregnancy and childbirth allowances and monthly childcare allowances were removed. The allowances depend on the actual income of the insured person, from which mandatory social insurance contributions are paid (with due account of the maximal limit of incomes subject to computation of insurance contributions).
The monthly childcare allowance for children younger than 18 months paid to mothers dismissed during their pregnancy and childbirth leave because of liquidation of their organization was established at 40% of the average income in 2013, as compared to a fixed sum previously.
The minimal monthly childcare allowance and the size of this allowance paid to non-working women since January 1, 2013, is 2,425 rubles for the first child and 4,907.85 rubles for the second and other children.
The one-time childbirth allowance is 13,087.61 rubles (12,405.32 rubles in 2012).
All the payments and allowances are increased annually by the inflation index.
In addition to these measures of federal state support to families with children, many regions pay regional monthly child allowances, monthly allowances to single mothers, allowances for children whose parents are dodging alimony or serving in the army on conscription terms, children from large families, children with disabilities and children whose parents have disabilities.
In order to support families with the third or more children until the child’s age of three years, a monthly allowance was established on January 1, 2013, for needy families at the amount of the child subsistence minimum of the relevant constituent of the Russian Federation. Allowances are paid in 64 regions, including co-financing by federal authorities in 50 regions. The federal budget allots 3.66 billion rubles for these purposes in 2013.
Maternity capital
More than 4 million families with two or more children received maternity (family) capital certificates in the Russian Federation from 2007 through 2012.
Some 1.6 million families (39.4% of the total number of families issued with the certificates) applied for using the money (part of the money), among them over 656,000 families in 2012.
The biggest number of families issued with the certificates applied for spending maternity capital on house improvement – 1.5 million families (96.6% of families that applied for using maternity (family) capital), and 1.1 million (69.4%) families spent the money on repaying house mortgage loans.
There were 53,200 applications for spending the money on children’s education and 1,323 applications for attaching the money to the accumulative part of the mother’s labor pension.
Assistance in employment of mothers on childcare leave
The three-year childcare leave is rarely good for professional skills of the mother. A special training program was developed for young mothers who are on childcare leave and plan to go back to work later so that the women experience no problems in their return. Women wishing to upgrade their skills or learn a new occupation can apply to local employment centers.
Authorities in constituents of the Russian Federation organize professional training, re-training and professional development of women on childcare leaves until the child’s age of three.
Practically all regions offer professional training, re-training and professional development of women on childcare leaves until the child’s age of three. About 10,000 women joined the program in 2012. This year’s numbers may reach 15,000. All regions have assigned funds from regional budgets for organizing professional training of such women.
Professional training of women on childcare leaves is provided with authorization of employment services on the condition the women apply to local employment centers and produce a passport, an equal document, a copy of a work related document confirming their stay on childcare leave until the child’s age of three and the child’s birth certificate.
Social contracts
State assistance on the basis of social contracts stipulates additional allowances on the condition of cross liabilities; it primarily targets improvement of the socioeconomic position of families with children, large families included.
Incomes of families receiving social contract support grow by 1.5-2 times on the average.
State social support rendered under a social contract does not nullify other social allowances and benefits. This is an addition to what the family already gets.
The most frequent usage of social support funds is the development of subsidiary holdings, including acquisition of cattle and poultry, home improvement, repairs of auxiliary premises and farming machines, self-employment, training and re-training.
The average size of target allowances paid under social contracts is 30,000-35,000 rubles but they may also reach 100,000 rubles.