Orphanhood as a social phenomenon includes two concepts: orphans-children, whose parents have died, and orphans-children, whose parents are alive, but for various reasons do not participate in the upbringing and ensuring acceptable living conditions.
Types of orphanhood
Until the 20th century, in sociology and pedagogy, orphanhood was defined as the presence in society of persons under 18 years of age, both or whose only parent had died. In the 20th century, the presence of such a phenomenon as the elimination of parents from responsibilities in relation to their children was called social orphanhood. Accordingly, persons under 18 who are left without the care of one or both parents are social orphans.
In general, orphanhood, as a social phenomenon, can be divided into the following groups of orphans:
1. Direct - minor children left without parents due to their death;
2. "Licensed" - children whose parents are deprived of parental rights due to negative social behavior or the inability to provide the necessary conditions for the life and development of their children (including cases when parents are recognized as incapacitated, are in prison or are accused of committing crimes, are held in medical institutions, are missing);
3. "Refuseniks" - children whose parents voluntarily renounced parental rights;
4. Boarding orphans - children who are brought up in boarding schools, as a result of which their parents practically do not participate in upbringing;
5. Household conditional orphans - children who live with their parents, but are in negative psychological and living conditions.
There is also a category of "hidden" orphans - children who are deprived of the necessary care and conditions for development, but whose position is hidden from the state, as a result of which such children do not receive the necessary assistance.
Social prerequisites and measures taken by society
In the XX-XXI centuries, the percentage of social orphanhood is much higher than the percentage of direct orphanhood. This is due to such phenomena as wars, political instability, economic crises, environmental degradation, natural disasters, man-made disasters. The above leads to the severing of ties with relatives, poverty, unemployment, a decrease in living standards, an increase in the level of crime, disease, alcoholism and drug addiction - these social phenomena, in turn, cause the spread of social orphanhood.
To reduce the level of social orphanhood, public events are being developed to support young and large families, strengthen family values, and improve society. Such activities include: social programs for families, support for the unemployed, housing programs, projects for organizing health and sports events, psychological assistance centers, development of children's and youth culture.
