Armenian government shifts its social policy target from enhancing incomes of financially disadvantaged families to boosting their capacities, Prime Minister said.

In his welcome speech to the forum on social-wellbeing of Armenian children and families in need, Tigran Sargsyan noted that introduction of integrated social services was announced a priority in 2011, with a strategy developed making first pilot projects feasible.

“The policy aims to create offices providing integrated social services, with staff well-aware of all problems of the families in need,” he said.

In this context, Armenian PM stressed that in the framework of the pilot project needy families will receive targeted government assistance. He named unemployment and problem of access to education as the key factors that generate poverty, underscoring the need for government to provide able-bodied family members with jobs instead of increasing their dependence on state assistance.

“The government assistance should also target enhancement of education opportunities,” the PM said, dwelling on a solution to the second problem.

“The worst practice is when children are deprived from families, growing up in orphanages,” he said, naming children as the third area of activity government should target.

RA Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Artur Grigoryan, in turn, noted that about 15 centers providing integrated services will operate already by the end of 2012. Their operation model is currently being developed jointly with the World Bank, projects are being worked out.

The forum was organized by RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Ministry of Territorial Administration through support of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).