This study examines the long-term effects of early institutional care in Zurich, finding that infants exposed to severe psychosocial deprivation faced significantly higher mortality risk and lost an estimated 12 years of life compared to peers raised in the community. It highlights that lack of nurturing interaction in early childhood has lasting consequences into adulthood, underscoring the critical importance of responsive care for child health and survival.

This article reports that the UK’s suspension of a key refugee family reunion pathway has left hundreds of children stranded and separated from their families, many in unsafe or unstable conditions.

The article reports on a landmark case in which a Greenlandic mother, Keira Alexandra Kronvold, successfully challenged Danish authorities for unlawfully removing her newborn shortly after birth based on contested parenting assessments.

This UNICEF Montenegro article reports that the company Piece of Cake has donated $300,000 to support the establishment of Montenegro’s first foster care center, marking a significant step toward strengthening family-based care services in the country.

This report warns reports that modern slavery in the UK has reached its highest recorded levels and is likely to continue rising, according to the country’s independent anti-slavery commissioner. The article highlights that referrals of potential victims have nearly doubled in recent years—surpassing 23,000 cases in 2025—driven not only by better detection but by growing global and domestic vulnerabilities such as poverty, conflict, and unsafe migration pathways.

This Guardian article reports that a United Nations human rights expert has warned that Denmark’s removal of a newborn child from a Greenlandic mother following controversial parenting competency assessments may constitute ethnic discrimination.

This study explores how minors in out-of-family care in Belgium experience placements and what improvements they recommend, based on interviews with youth in residential facilities. It finds that placements are often confusing and disruptive, and emphasizes the need for more child-centered, developmentally appropriate care that addresses both emotional needs and everyday living conditions.

This document includes statistics on looked after children for Scotland for 2024-25. It covers data on children who are looked after, young people in continuing care, and young people eligible for aftercare services.

This article explains how the Flemish government in Flanders has introduced new regulations to phase out intercountry adoptions, with a full halt expected by 2027 due to longstanding concerns about irregularities and unethical practices in adoptio

This BBC article examines concerns about children with complex needs being placed in unregulated or small residential homes in the UK, often far from their families, due to shortages in appropriate care placements.