Cost of Care and Redirection of Resources

Developing a high quality alternative care system requires adequate funding and resources. In countries that are working to reform their care systems, efforts are needed to redirect financing from residential care options towards new initiatives that support parents, prevent family separation, and provide children with a range of family and community based care alternatives.

Cost-benefit studies of different forms of alternative care demonstrate that it makes good economic sense for governments to invest in family based alternatives rather than residential care. While costs may increase for a temporary period as countries make the shift to family-based care – for example to fund training of social workers, develop social welfare services and establish tracing and foster programmes – in the long run it costs less than keeping children in institutions where funds are required to pay salaries for staff, maintain buildings and provide food and other services. The bottom line is that for the cost of keeping one child in residential care, many more girls and boys can be supported within families.

Funding for care reform involves allocating (or redirecting) resources from institutional care towards a range of family-based care services, investing in the development of a competent social welfare workforce, supporting carers, and providing financial and practical support to children leaving care. It also means investing in programmes that tackle the factors that lead to family separation and children being placed in alternative care – such as poverty, unemployment, disability, health and conflict. This could include promoting access to basic health, education and housing services, developing social protection and financial assistance initiatives, and working to strengthen families through parenting education or counselling.

Governments also need to make a commitment to putting in place licensing and regulation mechanisms to ensure that funding of care is motivated by children’s best interest rather than the financial benefit of the provider – and that resources are directed towards families rather than institutions. Unfortunately in many countries, there are vested interests in admitting or keeping children within formal care (particularly residential facilities) for profit-making, and large numbers of private care facilities operate outside the control of authorities.

The literature in this section focuses on budget and cost analysis pertaining to children’s care, including preventive services to support family based care and the provision of a range of alternative care options.

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Presentation of the Draft Investment Case for Family Care

Catholic Relief Services, 05 Dec 2023

“When we talk about equity and efficiency and what is right for children, when we provide services to families and children, we need to make sure that we are not just investing wisely, but that we are reaching

FINANȚAREA SERVICIILOR SOCIALE PENTRU COPII ȘI FAMILII ÎN CONTEXTUL AGENDEI DE ASOCIERE REPUBLICA MOLDOVA-UNIUNEA EUROPEANĂ. Ediția 2023: Finanțarea sistemului de protecție și îngrijire alternativă a copiilor

Changing the Way We Care, 30 Nov 2023

Conferința internațională “Finanțarea serviciilor sociale pentru copii și familii în contextul Agendei de Asociere Republica Moldova – Uniunea Europeană” este un eveniment anual organizat sub egida Parlamentului Republicii Moldova în colaborare cu

Webinar #16: Making an Investment Case for Family Care - Recent Experience from Moldova

Transforming Children's Care Collaborative, 25 Oct 2023

This webinar aimed to show care reform advocates can use budget analysis, cost estimates and evidence on long-term economic benefits to make the case for investing in a more a child-centered social welfare system.

See Webinar Series

Insights from Moldova: Role of Targeted Economic Support in Reintegration of Children

Changing the Way We Care, 05 Sep 2023

In September 2022, Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) launched an initiative to provide targeted economic support to assist the reintegration of children into families or placement into family based alternative care. Informed by previous experiences in reintegration and information captured in the individual child and family assessments, the CTWWC team developed a standardized and equitable approach to identifying the type and amount of targeted economic support required.

Perspective din Moldova: Rolul sprijinului economic pentru familii în reintegrarea copiilor

Changing the Way We Care, 05 Sep 2023

In septembrie 2022, Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) a lansat o inițiativă pentru a oferi sprijin economic direct în procesul de reintegrare a copiilor în familii sau plasament în servicii de îngrijire de tip familial. În baza experiențelor anterioare de reintegrare, dar și din informațiile extrase din evaluările individuale ale copiilor și familiilor, echipa CTWWC a dezvoltat o abordare standardizată și echitabilă pentru a identifica tipul și valoarea sprijinului economic direct necesar.

Financing Family Strengthening and Child Protection Services in the Context of Moldova - EU Association Agenda: 2023 Financing for Better Care Conference Report

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Sep 2023

This first International Conference on Financing of Family Strengthening and Child Protection Services in the Context of Moldova’s European Union Association Agenda held in Chisinau from 20-21 June 2023 has been a focused discussion between central and local government, non-governmental, private and academic sectors, international experts and organizations, on ensuring adequate public financing for strengthening families and protecting children, and meeting the challenges associated.

Financing for Better Care: Moldova 2023

Changing the Way We Care, UNICEF, the World Bank, 01 Jun 2023

In June 2022, hundreds of care reform leaders gathered to discuss the importance of providing adequate public financing to strengthen families and protect children in Moldova and across the globe. Conference speakers advocated for the provision of a minimum packages of services for families and children.

Webinar Recording: Launch of the Transition Cost Estimation Tool

Transforming Children's Care Collaborative, 17 May 2023

The purpose of this webinar was to launch the tool, provide background information on its development, the analysis that underpins it, and conduct a virtual walk through of the tool.

El propósito de este seminario web fue lanzar la herramienta, proporcionar información de antecedentes sobre su desarrollo, el análisis que la sustenta y realizar un recorrido virtual por la herramienta.

Transitioning Residential Care Cost Estimation Tool: Technical User Guidance Notes

Better Care Network, 2023

Throughout the Transitioning Residential Care Cost Estimation Tool, comments and tool tips have been provided for those Primary Users and for the basic use of the tool itself. This guidance provides additional context and explanation for Technical Users.

Family-Type Care vs Residential Care Costs: An analysis of the recent developments in government expenditure and the costs per child in family-type care and residential care

UNICEF, ECORYS Nederland, 01 Dec 2022

The objective of this analysis is to provide a better understanding of the government spending towards foster care and residential care services for children deprived of parental care, as well as to estimate the cost per child of such services. The analysis is intended to support UNICEF advocacy efforts towards the closure of residential care institutions in Moldova.