Early assistance children and their families: regulatory legal regulation
Authors: Pavlova S. V. , Rodriges-Navarro O. V. , Sokurov A. V. , Ermolenko T. V. , Ishutina I. S. , Salogub A. M. 
Published: July 2023

Introduction. The main historical aspects are considered features of the development of legislation on early assistance to children and their families (next – Early help) in the Russian Federation. The stages of the formation of the legislative process in the formation of Early aid are reflected, the social aspect of the regulatory legal regulation of the provision of early care services in the Russian Federation is also indicated.

Aim. To assess the completeness of legal regulation and the development of Early care, the main directions of further improvement and development are identified.

Materials and methods. Normative legal and methodological documentation, special literature, information systems of federal executive authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation. Applied general scientific methods (content analysis, analytical, system-structured, comparative) and methodological methods of systematization, comparison, generalization, interpretation, as well as special methods – formal legal, comparative legal.

Object of research: Early care for children and their families.

Subject of research: Regulatory legal regulation of Early care.

Results. There are three stages in the formation of the regulatory legal regulation of early care for children. Stage I (2012–2015), which is characterized by the adoption of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation and program normative legal acts of the Government of the Russian Federation. At this stage, the term «early assistance» is used for the first time in regulatory legal acts. Stage II (2016–2020), a distinctive feature of which is the adoption of the general program document, reflecting the approach of the Government of the Russian Federation to Early assistance as a system of legal relations. This stage is considered as determining the role and place of Early care in the system of health-saving technologies. Stage III (2021–present). Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation №. 3711-r dated 12.18.2021 approved the Concept of development in the Russian Federation of a system of comprehensive rehabilitation and habilitation of disabled people, including disabled children, for the period up to 2025, which changed the wording of the term «early assistance», and also defined the role and place of Early assistance in the system of comprehensive rehabilitation and habilitation of disabled people. The Ministry of Labor of Russia has prepared a bill that enshrines the term «early aid» and its definition.

Discussion. In 2012, the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation №. 761 dated 01.06.2012 «On the National Strategy of Actions in the interests of children for 2012–2017» was issued, which outlined not only the main issues in the field of protecting the interests of children, but also the ultimate goal of implementing the national strategy in the form of creating a system of early prevention of disability of children. Thus, the preventive aspect of the orientation of the functioning of the early care system is formulated. Early care is mentioned in the context of children's access to quality education and training. An important direction in the field of healthcare is the development of technologies for complex diagnostics and early medical and social assistance to children with developmental and health disabilities, as well as the provision of necessary advisory, legal, psychological and other assistance to families whose children of the target group are being raised. Ensuring equal opportunities for children in need of special care of the State is entrusted specifically to Early care and prevention of disability in children with developmental disabilities.

Conclusions. The obtained results of the analysis of the regulatory legal framework of the Russian Federation regulating legal relations in the field of Early care confirm the need for further legislative regulation of the term and its content.