Almaty is introducing a new approach to protecting children's rights. Instead of requiring families to contact multiple government agencies on their own, the city is implementing a comprehensive support system. Every child facing a difficult life situation will be assigned a case manager who will coordinate the work of all relevant services, including social workers, psychologists, healthcare professionals, and the police. This was announced by Zhanat Aitpayeva, Head of the Almaty Department for the Protection of Children's Rights, during a briefing at the Regional Communications Service.
According to her, the establishment of the Department for the Protection of Children's Rights is not just another administrative reform, but a fundamentally new stage in the country's child protection policy.
"I would like to emphasize that this is not simply about creating a new government body. For the first time, the legal status of regional authorities responsible for protecting children's rights has been established at the legislative level, with their powers, responsibilities, and operational mechanisms clearly defined. This provides Kazakhstan with a modern legal framework that enables the timely identification of violations of children's rights, rapid response to emerging risks, and comprehensive protection for every child," said Zhanat Aitpayeva.
The new law defines the Department's authority, establishes unified standards for its work, and introduces the case management system. Department employees have the right to freely visit government agencies, schools, kindergartens, healthcare institutions, and social service organizations where children are present to monitor compliance with their rights. Obstructing their lawful activities is subject to administrative liability.
Today, 688,887 children live in Almaty. According to the Department's head, the city needs a modern system capable of not only responding to violations after they occur but also preventing them.
The practical implementation of this work will be carried out jointly with the Children's Rights Protection Center. Under the approved standard, one specialist will be responsible for supporting no more than 5,000 children. This will allow authorities to respond more quickly to requests for assistance, identify family difficulties at an early stage, and provide support before situations escalate into crises.
