On the question of sexual education of children-orphans in foster families

Today one of the most urgent social problems, both in terms of magnitude and significance, is the problem of educating children deprived of parental guardianship. Lack of communication with adults and deprivation are the damaging factors, resulting in deformation of personality, distortion of sexual socialization and other dysfunctions. For successful adaptation and integration into society as a full member, a child should be brought up in a family where there is formation of normative sex-role orientations and attitudes. Despite the obvious importance and thorough study of this problem, there are a number of issues that require further elaboration. The author presents a theoretical analysis of scientific research into the problem of mental development and adaptation of pupils from orphanages. The article focuses on the priority of development of substitute forms of family education, the results of studies of gender identity of children-orphans brought up in different conditions (orphanage, foster and ordinary family) are presented, a package of diagnostic instruments, adequate to the subject of the study, is offered.