expected to be in place by the end of summer, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Earlier this year health officials estimated that there were at least 100 children who lost one or both parents to the disease.

And yesterday executive director of the AIDS-support group STAR, Mrs. Carolyn Armstrong, said there is definitely a need for such a system in Bermuda.

Noting the spread of the HIV among the heterosexual community, Mrs. Armstrong said: "the contraction of this virus through heterosexual relationships is evident now. Our work is cut out for us in the area of dealing with social and spiritual issues''.

STAR has received 15 referrals so far this year. And of that number almost half - seven - are women.

Mrs. Armstrong said STAR is now working with a total of 16 women representing a broad cross section of the community. And many of these women are mothers -- one has a six-month-old baby and another is a grandmother.

"There are definitely young children involved here,'' she said. "One of the women has a six-month-old baby and there are mothers of children in elementary and high school.

"We're hoping that the children can be placed in the ideal home of relatives.

But that does not always work out. So we're looking at establishing relationships with our clients involving the foster care of their children.'' She explained that under the system, which is already being practised informally, children will be placed with foster care parents who can give them the stability and moral upbringing they need.

And she said while many mothers are apprehensive about the system, "most want to make sure that their children are cared for in the way they want and so many get to know the foster care parents before their death''.

"The care giver becomes a friend to the family so toward the end, they (the foster parent and natural parent) are co-parenting.'' So far STAR has met with those at the Sunshine League home for children, the Committee of 25 charity, and those at Social Services to discuss the system.

The AIDS-support group is now looking into the legal aspect of such a system.

"We have completely laid the foundation for a ministry that will meet the needs of children,'' she said. "We have a team in place who are doing research and ground work, putting together a platform for the foster care.'' After the ground work is completed, Mrs. Armstrong said STAR will set up a system for screening foster parents.

However, she said, finding enough foster care parents should not pose a problem.

"I think we're going to do fine because not all of the children will go into foster care. We're also looking to work with Big Brothers and Sisters,'' she said, adding that children left to the care of their grandparents often need someone who can relate to today's issues in their lives.