Article 149. Detection and registration of children left without parental care

The guardianship and trusteeship bodies shall identify children left without parental care, keep records of such children and, proceeding from specific circumstances of loss of parental guardianship, select forms of placement for children left without parental care, as well as conduct follow-up monitoring of the conditions of their maintenance, upbringing, and education.

The activity of legal and physical persons other than guardianship and trusteeship bodies in identifying and placing children left without parental care shall not be permitted.

Officials of organizations (preschool educational organizations, general educational institutions, medical institutions, and other institutions), citizens' self-government bodies, and other citizens shall be obliged to report - within seven days of learning that children have been left without parental care - thereof to the guardianship and trusteeship bodies in the place of actual location of the children. The guardianship and trusteeship body shall be obliged to conduct - within three days of receiving such information - an examination of the child's living conditions and, in the event of establishment of the lack of custody by the parents or their relatives, shall ensure the protection of the child's rights and interests until the issue of placement is resolved.

The heads of institutions and the officials of the bodies mentioned in part three of this Article shall be held liable in accordance with the procedure established by law for failure to provide the guardianship and trusteeship body with information about children left without parental care, as well as for violation of legal requirements for the placement of such children.