The article presents the results of a study of the main social and household characteristics of families with disabled children, conducted in the territory of the Belgorod region (targeted survey; n = 990). The research made it possible to answer questions about children's health problems, their living conditions, the economic status of the family, the work of parents, the social environment and other characteristics of families. The article examines the passporting method of target problem (socially vulnerable) groups as an effective way of obtaining system information, a social picture of the situation, conditions, and problems of such families. The results of the research made it possible to determine the risks associated with the condition of children who require constant help and support, the category of families with unsatisfactory living conditions, the need for advanced training and retraining among parents. An important result of the study was the income map of families with disabled children, which identified the problematic characteristics of the socially vulnerable group and helped determine the directions of primary assistance and support. The scientific result of the article is the conclusion about the need for systematic control of all problematic components of the life of families raising disabled children, about the need for monitoring such information for the organization of targeted assistance and changes in social policy to meet the actual needs of such families.

disabled children, parents of disabled children, disability, social policy, passporting.