MOSCOW, July 19 (RIA Novosti). Foreign citizens adopted 9,600 children from Russia in 2004, according to Sergei Apatenko, head of the Education Ministry's Youth Policy Department.
Russian families adopted 7,400 children in 2004.
"It makes economic sense for Russian families not to adopt children, but to have guardian and trustee status, or to take them in as foster children."
In these cases, the child retains the right to free housing when continuing on to a higher education institution, while the foster family receives financial support.
According to the Education Ministry, 100,000 orphans and children without parental care are registered each year in Russia. Of them, 70% end up with families and 30% are sent to orphanages.
