Moldova: Minimum standards of quality for the functioning of foster care service
31 Dec 2008
Moldova
This country page features an interactive, icon-based data dashboard providing a national-level overview of the status of children’s care and care reform efforts (a “Country Care Snapshot”), along with a list of resources and organizations in the country.
demographic_data
2.71 million
Total Population
World Bank, 2018
669476
People
Total Population Under 18
Estimate
24.74%
Population Under 18
Census Data, 2019
2.8
People
Mean Household Size
United Nations, 2017
33.7%
Prevalence of Female-Headed Households
DHS 2005
Lower Middle Income Country
World Bank GNI Status
World Bank, 2019
9.6%
Living Below Poverty Line
World Bank, 2018
25.7
GINI Coefficient
World Bank, 2018
0.71
Human Development Index
UNDP Human Development Report, 2018
childrens_living_arrangement
%
Country
NO SOURCE GIVEN
63.1%
Living with Both Parents
UNICEF MICS, 2012
25.2%
Living with One Parent
UNICEF MICS, 2012
10.6%
Living with Neither Parent
UNICEF MICS, 2012
%
Effective
NO SOURCE GIVEN
children_living_without_bio
26.4%
Living With a Non-Relative
DHS
88%
Both Parents Alive
MICS 2012
8%
One Parent Dead
MICS 2012
3%
Both Parents Dead
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Children with Disabilities
238
Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Left Behind Children (Migration)
36,817
Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Street Connected Children
94
Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Children Experiencing Violence
10,094
Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Children in Conflict with the Law
1,215
Children
Banca de date statistice Moldova, 2019
Children in Informal Kinship Care
33,718
Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Children Whose Parents Are Subject to Judicial Protection
43
Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
0 Families/Parents
0 Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
0 Families/Parents
0 Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Total Family-Based Alternative Care
- - Families/Parents
3,509 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Foster Care
- - Foster Families/Foster Parents
1,035 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Formal Kinship Care
- - Families/Parents
2,474 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Total Residential Care
- - Settings
961 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Residential Institutions (RIs)
- - Settings
346 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Small Group Homes
- - Settings
57 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
Temporary Placement Centers
- - Settings
558 Children
Statistical report (annual) no. 103 on children at risk and children separated from their parents (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection, 2019)
adoption
NO DATA AVAIABLE
Country
NO SOURCE GIVEN
649
children
Domestic Adoption
Data Source: Annual Social Report 2018 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection); Date range: 2012-2018
i
Date range: 2012-2018. The total number of adopted children in evidence in 2019 was 1,549.
67
children
Inter-country Adoption
Data Source: Annual Social Report 2018 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection); Date range: 2012-2018
i
Date range: 2012-2019
NO DATA AVAIABLE
Effective
NO SOURCE GIVEN
94.4%
Children with Both Parents Alive
MICS 2012
4.3%
Children with One Parent Alive
MICS 2012
0.3%
Children with Both Parents Dead
MICS 2012
Country
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Effective
NO SOURCE GIVEN
NO DATA AVAILABLE
Social Welfare Spending
NO SOURCE GIVEN
MDL
2.44 billion
Child Protection Spending
BUGETUL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA, 2020
i
*Child and Family Protection spending
Child and Family Protection spending is approx. 3,22% of the expected National public expenditure budgeted for 2020. This mostly covers state insurance allowances for families with newborns, and childcare leave till the age of three. However, this amount also covers expenditures for childcare services allowances for children in alternative care.
Alternative Care Policy in Line with the 2009 Guidelines
Yes
Action Plan for 2016-2020 on the implementation of the Strategy for Child Protection for 2014-2020; MEASURE Evaluation, 2018; LEGE Nr. 140 privind protecţia specială a copiilor aflaţi în situaţie de risc şi a copiilor separaţi de părinţi
Commitment to Deinstitutionalistion
Yes
Action Plan for 2016-2020 on the implementation of the Strategy for Child Protection for 2014-2020
Comprehensive Child Protection Law
Yes
LEGE Nr. 140 privind protecţia specială a copiilor aflaţi în situaţie de risc şi a copiilor separaţi de părinţi
Continuum of Alternative Care Services Available
Limited
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
Note: Even though most needed alternative care services are relegated, they are not available to all children who need them. Communication between child protection authorities should be substantially improved, case management, M&E system should also be improved. It is not always possible to track the child's journey through the childcare system.
Data System
Mostly
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
There is no integrated informational system on child protection, but the data is collected by the central government via Excel charts or printed tools on the yearly basis. However, with USAID support, the project aimed to develop an Integrated Information System on Child Protection is under implementation. The system will focus on collecting longitudinal data related to childcare and child protection case management.
Existence of a Regulatory Body and Regulatory System
Yes
LEGE Nr. 140 privind protecţia specială a copiilor aflaţi în situaţie de risc şi a copiilor separaţi de părinţi; LEGE Nr. 547 asistenţei sociale; LEGE Nr. 123 cu privire la serviciile sociale
Gatekeeping Mechanism/Policy
Yes
Action Plan for 2016-2020 on the implementation of the Strategy for Child Protection for 2014-2020; LEGE Nr. 140 privind protecţia specială a copiilor aflaţi în situaţie de risc şi a copiilor separaţi de părinţi; HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 7 cu privire la aprobarea Regulamentului-cadru privind organizarea şi funcţionarea Comisiei pentru protecţia copilului aflat în dificultate; Case Management Practical Guide (Partnerships for Every Child, Government of the Republic of Moldova & Advancing Partners and Communities, 2017); The Family Support Service Practical Guide (Partnerships for Every Child, Advancing Partners and Communities, 2017)
Means of Tracking Progress with Reforms
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
There was no systematic tracking of progress. However, the Government/Line Ministries are supplying fragmentary information on the situation in the area of childcare and child protection .
Moratorium on Admission into Institutions for Children Under 3
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
While there is no moratorium on admission of children under 3 into institutions, one of the sub-objectives of the child protection Strategy (2014-2020) is to "significantly decrease the number of children under 3 placed in the Residential Institutions"
Moratorium on New Institutions
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
There is no formal government document, prohibiting the opening of new Residential Institutions (RIs), however there were no new big RIs opened in the last five years, except for several small group homes.
National Action Plan to Guide Reforms
Yes
Action Plan for 2016-2020 on the implementation of the Strategy for Child Protection for 2014-2020; Decision no. 523 on the approval of the Program for the development of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova for the years 2011-2020
National Standards of Care
Yes
National Accreditation System of Social Service Providers
i
Almost all childcare and child protection services have Regulations and Minimum Quality Standards, approved by the Government. National Accreditation System of Social Service Providers is in place, as well as Social Inspection.
Prevention of Separation Services Available
Yes
LEGE Nr. 140; LEGE Nr. 547; LEGE Nr. 123; Case Management Practical Guide (Partnerships for Every Child, Government of the Republic of Moldova & Advancing Partners and Communities, 2017); The Family Support Service Practical Guide (Partnerships for Every Child, Advancing Partners and Communities, 2017); HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 7; HOTĂRÎRE Nr. HG143/2018; HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 441; HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 270; HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 1182
Support for Careleavers (in Legislation and in Practice)
Partly
HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 132; Decizia nr. 3/4 din 18 iunie 2018; Decizia nr. 3/3 din 18 iunie 2018
i
Note: While there is support for careleavers in legislation, the support is not enough and efforts are being made by the government and CSOs to develop and make accessible more support services for care leavers (e.g. Social Assisted Living, Social and Professional Integration Centers, involvement/participation in the decision-making process)
social_work_force
Workers
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Country
Workers
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Effective
A national workforce assessment and analysis carried out within the past four years
Yes
Comprehensive analysis of workforce in Social Protection, realized in 2016
i
Source: Assessing Alternative Care for Children in Moldova: Assessment Report (Volume 1)
A system of licensing/registration of social service professionals
Yes
HOTĂRÎRE Nr. 998 pentru aprobarea Regulamentului privind organizarea şi funcţionarea Consiliului naţional de acreditare a prestatorilor de servicii sociale, a structurii şi efectivului-limită ale acestuia
key_stakeholders
Key Stakeholders
Add New DataCountry
Government
Civil Society Organisations
i
The Alliance includes more than 60 NGOs, working in Moldova
Effective
Other Relevant Reforms
Add New DataEffective
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Child Protection
i
Initiatives are in place to improve the situation of children with disabilities, children in conflict with law and children in street situations. New Program for Child Protection and costed Action Plan are to be elaborated for 2021-2030.
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Decentralisation
i
The reform on decentralisation of Local Public Administration and Local Public Finances is in progress but there are substantial issues related to financing of social services for children as a mandatory obligation of Local Public Authorities, similarly to school education sector financing.
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Education
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
New Program for the development of inclusive education is to be elaborated for 2021-2030
drivers_of_institutionalisation
Drivers of Institutionaliziation
Add New DataCountry
Push Factors
Poverty
Disability/lack of (access to) support services (education, reabilitation, day care, respite care)
Alcohol/drug abuse
Violence
Pull Factors
Availability of specialized care for disabled/children with special needs
Smaller economic pressure on the household from carer's perspective
Protective environment, safeguarding
Access to nutrition and education
Effective
key_research_and_information
Key Data Sources
Add New DataCountry
Development of Integrated Social Care Services for Vulnerable Families and Children at Risk in Moldova
01 Nov 2007
Care Reform Workshop Report
01 Nov 2017
Effective
Acknowledgements
Data for this country care snapshot was contributed by partners at Lumos and Changing the Way We Care.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 215
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.
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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.
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The publication summarizes lessons and good practices from the Community Engagement for Better Care pilot project implemented in four communities by Diaconia of the Bessarabian Orthodox Church in Moldova in 2024-2025. The project explored how faith communities - especially the Orthodox Church - can support children and families in need.
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This booklet of sermons, developed by Diaconia of the Bessarabian Orthodox Church in Moldova promotes solidarity-based communities where children and families thrive in safe and nurturing environments. It provides sermons for priests to emphasize child protection, family values, and community engagement.
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Changing the Way We Care’s “Care System Strengthening Learning Synthesis: Evaluation Summary” distills lessons from care reform efforts in four countries, examining how change happened across laws, workforce, financing, monitoring, and services. It finds that evidence-based advocacy, strong government ownership, collaboration, and capacity-building were central to driving and sustaining reform across diverse contexts.
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The article highlights how Moldova has dramatically reduced the number of children in institutional care from around 17,000 to just 700, with an ambitious goal of closing all orphanage‑style institutions by 2027.
This report presents findings from an evaluation by Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) that used a realist approach to examine how care reform progressed in Guatemala, India, Kenya, and Moldova across five key system components. It identifies advocacy, government ownership, collaboration, and capacity-building as major drivers of change and offers recommendations for governments and partners to embed family care in national systems, strengthen coordination and workforce capacity, and sustain reforms through evidence, shared learning, and long-term commitment.
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Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) is a global initiative which promotes safe, nurturing family care for children.
At the close of the Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) The Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) initiative launched in 2018 with the aim to reform child care systems by promoting safe, nurturing family-based care over institutional ca
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