The multiple and extensive transformations that have occurred in Eastern Europe since the 1990s did not bypass care, bringing diverse care regimes. This chapter, in the Research Handbook on Social Care Policy, aims to explore the main trends in the development of care policies in Croatia (a post-Yugoslav country) and the Czech Republic (a Visegrád country).

This article explores the process of deinstitutionalization as a central challenge of contemporary social policy in Europe, with a special focus on Poland as an example of good practices for Ibero-American countries. The Polish case shows that implementing DI requires coordinated strategies, investment in human capital, digitalization, and multi-sectoral cooperation.

This review compares child protection systems in Indonesia and Ethiopia using UNICEF’s Child Protection System Strengthening framework. Both countries have established solid legal frameworks and coordination mechanisms, but progress toward system maturity remains slow due to gaps in enforcement, accountability, and support services, with Indonesia showing stronger development in workforce and data systems.

ACE Zambia, founded in 1998 as a faith-based organization supporting orphans and vulnerable children, gradually shifted from operating multiple residential care facilities toward strengthening family- and community-based services after recognizing the harms of long-term institutionalization. Between 2014 and 2025, the organization closed all residential homes, expanded preventative and family-focused programs, and ultimately increased its reach by supporting far more children in safe family settings using the same level of resources.

Cambiar la Forma en que Cuidamos (CTWWC, por sus siglas en inglés) es una iniciativa global que promueve un cuidado familiar seguro y afectuoso para los niños.

The Moldova Transformation Guidance aims to support the transformation process of residential care facilities (RCF) to models that promote family support and community-based services, or to safely close them and redirect their resources. National and local authorities can use this guidance to design, plan, budget, communicate, and coordinate transformation at both individual and system levels.

This report examines how rising child poverty, social exclusion, and anti-rights movements across Europe threaten children’s rights, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action and strong civil society engagement. Focusing on vulnerable children, it reviews progress on the European Child Guarantee and broader rights issues—from mental health and protection systems to digital rights, housing, and social investment.

This report documents the finding of the exercise undertaken by the Children and Families Together (CAFT)-India consortium to assess how Indian states are positioned for disability-inclusive care reform. Drawing from data across States, this highlights each State’s existing care systems and inclusion practices, offering valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and organizations advancing inclusive child protection and care reform in India.

This webinar, co-hosted by the Columbia University Seminar on Global Mental Health, examined how the shift toward localization is reshaping community-based child protection. The session explored both the challenges and opportunities of localizing child protection and well-being initiatives, emphasizing the need to transfer power to communities and support genuine local ownership for sustainable impact.