In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, citing the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian chi

In this Q&A, Olena Remen, head of the expert group on family-based forms of upbringing and adoption at the Coordination Center for the Development of Family-Based Care and Education in Ukraine discusses the regional implementation of the country's four-year strategy to prioritize family-based care.

В Україні вперше особи, які перебували в інституційних установах, а також ті, хто має досвід сімейного догляду, об’єдналися та узгодили спільну позицію щодо реформування системи догляду та підтримки дітей, у тому числі розвитку програм підтримки дітей-сиріт та дітей, позбавлених батьківського піклування.

In Ukraine, for the first time, individuals who have experienced institutional care, as well as those who have experience with family-based care, have united and agreed upon a common position regarding the reform of the child care and support system, including the development of programs to support orphaned children and children deprived of parental care.

A turning point in the campaign to close Romania’s dungeon-like orphanages and cruel homes for the disabled came with the shutting of Camin Spital, a grim block near the Ukrainian border with bars on the windows to stop people from jumping to their deaths.

Studiul sociologic „Implementarea programelor și activităților de sprijin familial primar și a altor activități comunitare centrate pe consolidarea familiei” este un prim studiu realizat în Republica Moldova, cu scopul cartografierii programelor și a activităților de sprijin primar existente prin evaluarea relevanței, a eficienței, durabilității, dificultăților și a bunelor practici. Rezultatele cercetării  au informat elaborarea conceptului și procesul pilotării unui model eficientizat de sprijin primar al familiilor cu copii. Modelul eficientizat al serviciului  urmează să consolideze acțiunile viitoare ale actorilor comunitari în sprijinirea familiilor pentru a putea depăși situațiile de risc.

This report presents the main findings, conclusions, and recommendations of an evaluation of the child care and deinstitutionalisation reforms in seven countries in the Europe and Central Asia Region (Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Tajikistan). The report offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of child protection systems and the transition from institutional care to family- and community-based alternatives. It highlights key achievements, lessons learned, and best practices, while also addressing the areas where further improvements are needed to ensure that every child can grow up in a nurturing, safe, and supportive environment.

Panama, Uganda, Sri Lanka and Czech Republic among those newly committing to totally prohibit violence against under-18s.

Dr. Stefania Ilinca of the World Health Organization highlights the importance of nurturing family care, especially for younger children, and the need to ensure early childhood intervention and disability services are accessible at the community level.

Since joining the European Union in 2007, Bulgaria has sought to make changes in its child welfare system for children raised in care institutions around the country. According to UNICEF, in 2021 there were 10,000 children living in alternative care in Bulgaria - most of them were ethnic Roma or children with disabilities. This is the story of how Bulgaria Without Orphans has played a role in Bulgaria's care reform.