The article substantiates the need for a flexible social policy for substitute parenthood in Russia, targeted social support tools, and support technologies taking into account the social profile and status of substitute parent. The materials of a questionnaire survey in the Rostov region show that a typical substitute parent is an оlder retired woman raising her own grandchildren, who has the status of a trustee or guardian (substitute grandparents). Operating with a social portrait and the status of substitute parents in different configurations, we have identified three typical models: professional, related substitute parenthood and substitute grandparenthood. On the one hand, substitute parents experience general problems (insufficient pedagogical and communicative competence due to a low level of education, low material, professional, employment status), which are aggravated by environmental and institutional factors (ambivalent attitude, devaluation, stigmatization of substitute parenthood, object orientation of social support, its focus on the interests of children without taking into account the problems of parents). On the other hand, the forms of device, kinship statuses and combinations of social statuses of parents (educational, housing, family, age and health status, etc.) cause differences in motivation, perception of their parenthood and experience, problems and needs. Our data demonstrate that substitute parents are not a monolithic group; their characteristics, needs, and resources vary depending on their social profile and various status combinations. The proposed typology of substitute parenthood models can serve as a basis for further research and the development of differentiated social policies and support systems.