Work at the “Children’s Social Care Center”, which will soon start working in the Daugavpils fortress at the site of the former family home “Pīlādzis”, will be organized in such a way as not to create problems for the residents of the neighborhood related to the behavior of the residents of the house. This is what members of the working group and representatives of the committee claimed for the residents of Cietokšņi present at the meeting of the Social Committee.
At the beginning of January 2022, the Family House “Pīlādzis” started working in Cietoksnī, Komandanta Street 3, which was established as part of the European Social Fund project “Implementation of Deinstitutionalization Measures in the Latgale Region (DI)” No. 9.2.2.1/15/I/005”. The aim of the project was to provide children’s long-term social care and social rehabilitation service for 20 children aged between 8 and 17 who were left without parental care. The conditions of the project contract for receiving ESF co-financing stipulated that, upon its termination, the Daugavpils municipality must provide this service within five years. Failure to comply with this condition threatens with serious financial sanctions: 300 thousand to 1 million euros will have to be repaid from the city budget, which the municipality cannot afford.
The family home operated for a little over a year and a half. Based on the letter of the Daugavpils City Orphan’s Court of June 30, 2023, in which, respecting the best interests of the children, it was requested to immediately provide the services of the Institution “Family Home “Pīlādzis” for 17 children, as well as taking into account the complaints of the residents of the Cietokšņi area, on July 3, 2023, an order was issued on the transfer of children from the structural unit of the Multifunctional Social Services Center “Pīredīte” Family House “Pīlādzis” on Komandanta Street 3, to the structural unit “Priedītes” – 36 Turaidas Street.
On February 23, 2024, a working group was established to restore the provision of long-term social care and social rehabilitation services at Komandanta Street 3. Currently, renovation works are underway at Komandanta Street 3 – interior renovation, as well as facade and canopy renovation after the fire that occurred on August 16, 2023.
Elita Kručinina, head of the Multi-functional social service center “Priedīte”, informed the members about the results of the group’s work and the solutions proposed by it at the extraordinary meeting of the Social Issues Committee. Residents of Cietokšņi neighborhood were invited to the committee meeting.
The working group proposes to create a “Youth House” on the basis of “Priedīte” (Turaidas street 36). It will be a long-term social care and social rehabilitation service for children aged 15 and over. Children under the age of 15, on the other hand, are planned to be moved to a building on Komandanta Street 3, which will henceforth be called “Children’s Social Care Center”. As the manager of “Priedīte” told the deputies, these 11 children have not violated the internal rules of order, are polite, attend school, medical specialists if necessary, and also spend time with employees. Unauthorized persons will not be allowed to enter the building. Attendants and caregivers will work in the care center, the infrastructure will be improved, which will ensure that the interests of both children and the residents of the neighborhood are taken care of.
Natalja Kožanova, chairwoman of the social issues committee, emphasized: “The well-being and peace of the citizens is very important to us, so we will try with all our might to find the most optimal solution, which will allow us to continue providing social care services to children with disabilities and make life in the Cietokšņi neighborhood more peaceful. We will continue the dialogue with the residents to find this optimal solution. The interests of the inhabitants of the fortress will be protected.”
After the meeting, the vice-chairwoman of the Social Issues Committee, Viktorija Sporāne-Hudojana, said: “The interests of children and the peace of Cietokšņi’s residents are very important to the municipality, so we invited them to the meeting of the Social Issues Committee, where we heard the strategy and vision of the development of the situation of the leader of Priedīte. Residents were active, asked questions, expressed their proposals and opinions, a good discussion was achieved, thank them for that!”
As a result of the dialogue with the inhabitants of the fortress, an agreement was reached that in the near future there will be a meeting of the residents of the neighborhood with council members, municipal specialists, and the joint search for optimal solutions will continue.
Information prepared by:
Daugavpils state city municipalities
Department of Public Relations
