On October 30, 2026, in Yekaterinburg, as part of the XVII Interregional Conference on Church Social Service, a session dedicated to helping children with disabilities and orphans living in state inpatient facilities was held.
The meeting participants discussed the experience of church social projects, issues of mentoring, support for boarding school students, organization of escorted accommodation and interaction of church organizations with government agencies.
The session was organized by Veronika Leontieva, Head of the Department of assistance to people with Disabilities at the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, and Alexandra Arakelova, head of the Department of assistance to children.
Representatives of the Orthodox Mercy Service of Yekaterinburg spoke about the work of the sisters of mercy in 18 state institutions in the region. Special attention was paid to the Guides project, in which volunteer mentors jointly accompany groups of children. This system allows students to receive constant attention and support, distributing responsibilities among several adults.
A separate topic of discussion was the assisted living of people with disabilities. Representatives of social projects from Orsk, the Ivanovo Region, and the Omsk Diocese shared their experiences helping boarding school students who are preparing for independent living or have already left government institutions.
The session participants emphasized that church assistance should not be limited to one-time visits. Regular communication, spiritual support, participation in children's daily lives and building trusting relationships are of particular importance.
"It's not enough just to visit a child once — he needs constant attention, reliable relationships with adults and support at different stages of life," said Alexandra Arakelova.
Educational programs for nurses and volunteers were also presented at the meeting. The Synodal Department for Charity is planning to prepare a methodological guide on the organization of church assistance to children in state inpatient institutions.
During the conference, the participants got acquainted with a traveling historical exhibition dedicated to Ekaterina Gracheva, a teacher, a nurse of mercy and one of the organizers of professional assistance to children with severe multiple developmental disabilities.
The XVII Interregional Conference on Church Social Service was held in Yekaterinburg from October 27 to October 30 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. More than 360 representatives of church social services, charitable organizations and government authorities took part in its work.
Photo: Orthodox Mercy Service of Yekaterinburg.