The special report was drawn up on the basis of the visits paid to the assisted living facilities and orphanages for persons with disabilities.

The visits were conducted in 2020 as part of the monitoring of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and were aimed at assessing the quality of observance of the Minimum Care Standards in Specialized Living Facilities for Persons with Disabilities and Older People, as well as the Child Care Standards, including in the context of the prevention of the novel coronavirus.

The document discusses the living and infrastructural environment of the facilities, the rule of institutional upbringing, the lack of inclusive care and necessary educational-rehabilitation services, which ultimately lead to the formation of the syndrome of dependence on the institution and reduce the beneficiaries’ skills for independent living.

The number of staff is not sufficent and in some cases they are unqualified; hygiene and sanitary norms are not properly observed, which makes the environment especially dangerous in the context of the Covid 19 pandemic. Meals are not diverse and it is necessary to address the issue of unavailability of clean water.

Cases of violence are not properly identified, evaluated or responded. No anti-alcoholic or anti-drug efforts are made. Somatic and mental health are problematic, as well as directions of dental and psychosocial treatment. The protection of confidentiality was identified as an important trend.