The activity of the central commission of help to children in the fight against the Homelessness in Ukraine (1922-1932)

Abstract

The article is dedicated to revelation of the activities of the Central Commission for Assistance to Children (CCAC) as for elimination of child homelessness in Ukraine in 1922-1932. The prerequisites of emergence of the Central Commission for Assistance to Children in Ukraine during the period under research were social-economical problems in the country, a large number of homeless children and inability of the state to provide all children with care and education. The article depicts the structure of the CCAC, as well as the directions of activities of the Central Commission for Assistance to Children as for elimination of child homelessness in Ukraine in 1932-1933. These directions were the maintenance of different children’s institutions (orphanages of various types, agricultural colonies and workshops, night lodging, canteens, consultations, milk distribution points, nursery schools, agricultural colonies); conducting health-improving, agricultural and other campaigns; provision of subsidies to the departments of national education and health care departments; re-evacuation of children to the places they were from; organization of child nutrition (providing children with food rations, arranging the supply of products to children’s institutions and special stores); patronage of children; providing children with individual assistance; employment of teenagers etc. The sources of funds to the Central Commission for Assistance to Children were donations of population, patent fee and licensing fee, state subsidies, income from businesses of the CCAC. The article depicts the peculiarities of holding children’s campaigns by it. The results of activities of the Central Commission for Assistance to Children as for elimination of child homelessness are revealed.