Latvian Political Monitor

The child must be at the center of the entire child protection system. That is why the role, responsibility and cooperation of each institution must be clearly defined. 🤝 The orphan's court should not be the first institution to become involved in solving family problems. Its main task should be to protect the rights and interests of children, as well as persons in guardianship and custody. At the same time, careful consideration should be given to which functions should be retained in the orphan's court and which could be provided by other institutions. I believe that a unified information system is also needed to identify risks in time and coordinate support for the child and the family. I met with Baiba Meldere on these issues. Thank you for her long-term work in the orphan's court, accumulated experience and valuable conversation!

The main task of orphan courts is to protect the interests of children, not to perform functions that notaries can do professionally. By transferring notarial activities to notaries, orphan court specialists would have more time and opportunities to focus on complex family situations, promptly identify risks and help children who need this support the most. We need to clearly set a priority: the child must be at the center of orphan courts' attention! 👧🏼 Video author: LTV Rīta Panorāma (06.08.2026)

👧🏼 The interests of every child must be properly protected, and the state must be able to provide support in time when it is most needed. Together with representatives of the Regional Development Center and the Association of Municipalities, we agree that the child rights protection system must be purposefully improved, more clearly defining the responsibility of institutions and prioritizing the child's interests. The main task of orphan's courts must be the protection of children's rights and interests, not the performance of duties that can be professionally provided by other institutions. Therefore, the possibility of transferring notarial functions performed by orphan's courts to notaries should be evaluated. This would allow orphan's court specialists to devote more time to complex family situations, promptly notice risks, and help children who need support the most. At the same time, any changes must ensure that legal services remain available throughout Latvia, including in the most remote regions, without creating additional costs or unnecessary obstacles. The system must serve the child and the family. That is the main principle of our future work.

@FOXXXIC @ltvzinas Here you have to ask @DaigaMierina, because this is a Saeima question, not the government's.

@fineside420 @MStakis @Progresivie @janisdombrava Also my grandma has such a pension. Children/grandchildren help as much as we can, etc. But that's not the point. We discuss/argue respectfully and it will be for the first round. Without malice!👍🙏🏼

@IvarsAuzins @AlvisHermanis1 Exactly, Ivar! In the declaration you can only submit 600 EUR/year per child for justified expenses. This sum should be increased x2 as a minimum. That would be a great relief for parents with children.

In Latvia, more than 1000 children are separated from their families every year, and approximately 5700 children are in out-of-family care. This is a signal that help for families must come much earlier – before the crisis becomes irreversible. Demographic policy does not end when a child is born. The state's responsibility continues after that – to strengthen families, protect children, and build a safer future for Latvia. 🇱🇻