The article is devoted to pressing social problem — the study of the process of designing and implementing of social services for families with children in difficult life situations (crisis family), aimed at reduction of social orphanhood and prevention of parental care loss. It is established that the child protection system is reactive in nature, with the dominant approach in early institutionalization of children with a high risk of losing parental care in the absence of a system for early detection of family ill-being and early intervention family. In modern conditions the children with a high risk of social orphanhood only in 20 % of cases fall into the social assistance system and receive preventive services. Thus, transactions of the guardianship system and the system of support services family are of discrete nature. Provided social services are often in contradiction with the needs of crisis families, which significantly reduces the rehabilitation potential of the family and increases the risk of a child withdrawal. On the basis of the analysis presented recommendations are formulated aimed at improving the efficiency of the national system of protection of children with a high risk of losing parental care.