Creating opportunities for the development of disadvantaged children.

After more than four months of implementation, Resolution No. 55 of the Hai Phong City People's Council has helped thousands of children gain better access to care, education, and comprehensive development.

Babeeni Vietnam Co., Ltd. presents Lunar New Year gifts to orphans at the SOS Children's Village Hai Phong and the Hoa Phuong Center for Social Work and Child Protection. Photo: NGUYEN NGUYEN

Ms. Tran Thi Thu Hang, Head of the Population and Children Sub-Department (Department of Health ), spoke with reporters from Hai Phong Newspaper and Radio & Television about the implementation of Resolution No. 55 of the Hai Phong City People's Council. We respectfully present this to our readers.

- Resolution 55 of the 16th City People's Council takes effect from January 1, 2026. Could you please explain how the resolution is being implemented?

- Hai Phong currently has over 1 million children, accounting for approximately 24% of the city's population; of which, more than 9,000 children are in special circumstances, and more than 11,000 children are at risk of falling into special circumstances. A significant portion of these children are from working-class families, migrant workers, and disadvantaged families.

After Resolution No. 55 came into effect, the Population and Children Sub-Department advised the Department of Health to issue guiding documents for implementation; organized training for grassroots staff to review and compile lists of beneficiaries, ensuring that the beneficiaries are correct, transparent, and avoid duplication.

In addition, the Sub-Department coordinated with local authorities to strengthen inspection and supervision, promptly resolving difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process. Public awareness campaigns were also widely implemented through local radio systems, mass organizations, and community activities to ensure that people fully understand the policy content.

Initial results show that the policy is being implemented effectively. As of the end of April 2026, the entire city had supported 9,980 children with a total budget of approximately 41.4 billion VND.

- Could you clarify the advantages of Resolution 55 compared to previous policies?

- Resolution 55, adopted by the City People's Council on December 11, 2025, replaces Resolution 22/2024 of the City People's Council on supporting children in special and difficult circumstances in the city from 2025 to 2030. This is a unique and groundbreaking policy of Hai Phong in the field of child protection and care.

The key highlight is the expansion of the beneficiaries, the increase in support levels, and the assurance of comprehensive and long-term support. Previously, the government 's support policy focused on certain groups of children in special circumstances (such as orphans, homeless children, and children with severe and extremely severe disabilities). Now, Resolution 55 expands this to include children in special circumstances and children in difficult situations.

Specifically, the resolution implements a monthly allowance for children from poor households, near-poor households, households that have escaped poverty, households that have escaped near-poverty, and disabled children who are the third generation of resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins. The support level is based on the Government's multidimensional poverty standard. Currently, the support level is 1.5 million VND/month in rural areas and 2 million VND/month in urban areas. From 2027, the support level will be 2.2 million VND for rural areas and 2.8 million VND for urban areas. In addition, the resolution also supports groups of children without a source of support, children who have been sexually abused leading to childbirth, children of sexually abused children, and children infected with HIV/AIDS with an allowance 1.5 times the Government's allowance (equivalent to 750,000 VND/month).

In addition to monthly allowances, the Resolution also provides 100% support for health insurance premiums for children aged 6-16 belonging to various specific groups such as: children who have lost their caregivers; children who are the third generation of resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins and are identified as having mild disabilities; children who have been sexually abused resulting in childbirth and are raising children; and children born to children who have been sexually abused.

When fully implemented, the city is expected to support more than 11,000 children with a total budget of over 200 billion VND per year.

- Could you share more about the difficulties and obstacles encountered during the implementation of the Resolution, and what solutions are planned for the future?

- Besides the achievements, monitoring during the initial implementation of the Resolution revealed that the planning and implementation of the Resolution in some localities were slow and not truly synchronized, affecting the overall progress as well as the rights of children eligible for the policy.

In the coming period, the Department of Population and Children will continue to strengthen guidance and supervision of the People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones to implement the contents of the Resolution synchronously and effectively as directed by the Department of Health. At the same time, it will promote communication through various forms suitable to each locality; focusing on direct communication to households and communities to ensure that all eligible individuals have access to the policy.

Another important solution is to organize intensive training for child welfare officers, population collaborators, neighborhood group leaders, village heads, and related personnel to ensure they fully understand the process of reviewing, receiving, evaluating, and disbursing benefits.

Local authorities need to continue reviewing and compiling lists of eligible beneficiaries; promptly receive, appraise, issue decisions, and disburse benefits, ensuring the principles of correct eligibility, full benefits, timeliness, transparency, and openness.

- What changes will Resolution 55 bring about in the care and protection of children during the period 2026-2030?

- We recognize that the care and protection of children is not only a social welfare task but also a central element in the city's human development strategy. Hai Phong aims for sustainable development with the perspective of "putting children at the center," shifting from a short-term support and situation-handling mindset to proactive prevention and long-term investment in the future.

The synchronized implementation of policies under Resolution 55 will create more favorable conditions for children in special and difficult circumstances to stabilize their lives, receive better care, have opportunities for education, comprehensive development, and integration into the community.

Resolution No. 55/2025 expands the group of children receiving support, creating opportunities for more disadvantaged children to have access to basic services such as education, healthcare, and physical and mental development. This contributes to narrowing the gap in development opportunities between different groups of children, especially vulnerable children. Therefore, the effectiveness of the resolution extends beyond immediate benefits and has long-term significance for the sustainable development of Hai Phong. The ultimate goal is that all children are protected, cared for, and developed comprehensively, ensuring that no child is left behind.

Thank you very much, Madam!

THANH HA (compiled)

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/tao-co-hoi-phat-trien-cho-tre-em-thiet-thoi-544168.html