The Riga City Council has found a way to expand the support program for young parents in connection with the birth of a child, the external communications department of the Riga City Council informed the LETA agency.
The program provides parents with free emotional and informational support after the birth of a child.
To support young parents in the first year of their child's life, emotional support is offered free of charge to young mothers from families residing in Riga. The support is provided by specialists from the Latvian Association of SOS Children's Villages.
To apply for participation in the support program, at least one of the parents must be registered and residing in Riga throughout the entire period of receiving the service. Applications can be submitted until the child reaches eight months of age, whereas previously this could only be done until the child was four months old, and the service was provided until the child turned one year old.
Registered parents in Riga can receive up to six individual home consultations, during which emotional support is provided and issues related to child care, breastfeeding, sleep, daily routines, and the child's development are discussed.
Parents have the opportunity to participate in support groups for young parents.
The program is implemented by the Latvian Association of SOS Children's Villages in cooperation with the Welfare Department of the Riga City Council and the Riga Social Service, and it is funded from the budget of the Riga City Council.
According to the information provided to the LETA agency by the Riga City Council, in 2025, the service was received by 425 families, and this year it is planned to support 500 families.
