Despite repeated indications and recommendations, the responsible officials of the Dobele local government have not ensured the operation of the "Lejasstrazdi" family support center in accordance with regulatory acts, resulting in significant and prolonged violations of children's rights, concluded ombudsman Karina Palkova.
According to Palkova, the inaction of the local government indicates a prolonged failure to fulfill its duties and poses a serious threat to the safety, development, and well-being of children.
Next week, Palkova will meet with the chairman of the Dobele Regional Council to agree on urgent measures to improve the situation.
The conclusion states that the center still lacks qualified leadership and trained staff, and there is a shortage of social workers with the necessary education and experience. Children are not provided with a safe environment: high risks of mutual violence, cases of substance abuse, vagrancy, and offenses have been recorded. Additionally, children are not provided with psychological assistance.
At the same time, oversight by the orphan court has also been deemed insufficient and at times formal. Complete documentation of information regarding children's personal property and decisions affecting their safety and interests is not ensured. Proper provision of children's right to communicate with their families is not recorded. There have been cases where several children do not return to the center after classes and are found in unknown locations, while the institution does not exercise effective control over their whereabouts.
In a letter to the Minister of Smart Governance and Regional Development, Raimonds Čudars, the ombudsman requests to initiate an inspection of the activities of the Dobele local government to assess whether the actions of responsible officials comply with the legislation in the field of child rights protection.
The Ministry of Welfare has also been informed of the conclusion.
At the same time, the Dobele local government is recommended to consider transferring the provision of long-term social care and rehabilitation services to another institution to ensure a more professional quality of services, stable staffing, and more effective oversight.
By December 19, 2025, the responsible authorities must inform the ombudsman about the measures taken or planned to implement these recommendations, indicating the deadlines for their execution.
The ombudsman found that the identified shortcomings are not isolated cases but systematic violations, indicating weak internal organization of work, insufficient professionalism, and lack of control.
Earlier, in the program "900 seconds" on TV3, Palkova emphasized the fact that problems at the "Lejasstrazdi" center have not been resolved for a long time. "I want the Ministry of Welfare to take a closer look at this. It is abnormal that for two years we have been going, resolving, and advising," she stated, not ruling out going to court if specific steps to resolve the situation are not taken in the near future.
"I would really like us to put an end to this issue by Christmas," Palkova said.
As reported, ombudsman Palkova, child rights experts from the Ombudsman’s Office, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Welfare and the Child Protection Center, who came to inspect the Dobele Regional Family Support Center "Lejasstrazdi," identified numerous violations there.
During the visit, it was established that several children from the center regularly do not attend school, and the staff are unaware of who is in charge of them or how to act if a child shows clear health problems, among a number of other violations.
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