This paper, produced by RELAF, is part of a series of publications on children without parental care in Latin America: Contexts, causes and answers. This document, and others in the series, pertains to the broad topic of children without parental care and examines the particular situation of institutionalised children. The information and analysis is focused on five central themes: first, the verification and analysis of the existence of large (or macro) institutions in the region; second, the institutionalization of infants due to “social causes” and its implications; third, the situation that affects adolescents who suffer long periods of institutionalisation; fourth, cases of sexual abuse or serious mistreatment in institutions; and lastly, the problem of children institutionalised outside their country of origin.
The information presented here emerges from different sources including personal communications with members of Relaf who have provided quantitative and qualitative details, and professionals who make up the Latin American Council and the Advisory Commission of the Network, as well as the Study of the situation of children and adolescents who find themselves in care or protective institutions in the Americas. The study, produced by InterAmerican Commission of Human Rights in collaboration with Unicef, informs this paper and can be found on the RELAF website (www.relaf.org). Furthermore, RELAF has carried out research on news and press information and websites.
©with the collaboration of Mara Tissera Luna and Maria Sanchez Brizuela
