This article highlights the launch of a children’s book, Kannella, designed to support children in alternative care by helping them understand and process experiences of trauma, loss, and change.

This article reports on a proposed government scheme in Kosovo to provide monthly financial support for children without parental care who are placed in alternative family-based care, as well as for the families who care for them.

This technical brief examines how the meaningful participation of children and young people with lived experience (PWLE) in alternative care can strengthen child protection systems, improve service quality, and influence policy reform. It presents international examples from Ireland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, Moldova, Kenya, Romania, Albania, and the United States, illustrating how children and care leavers contribute to individual case planning, service design, regulatory monitoring, advocacy, and national care reform.

This article explores how professionals in Portuguese residential care settings perceive the factors that support or hinder the development of children’s social-emotional competencies, emphasizing the importance of relationships, staff stability, and supportive working conditions. It finds that while strong relational practices and collaboration facilitate progress, gaps such as limited training, high workloads, and the absence of structured protocols remain key barriers, pointing to the need for more consistent and sustainable approaches.

This study examines the prevalence and risk factors associated with child sexual exploitation (CSE) among adolescents living in residential care facilities in northern Spain, finding that nearly one in five participants reported experiencing some form of exploitation in the previous year. It highlights the need for targeted prevention, screening, professional training, and trauma-informed interventions that address the multiple vulnerabilities faced by young people in care.

This study estimated the reported prevalence of child sexual exploitation among adolescents in residential care facilities in a northern region of Spain and identified associated risk factors. Findings underscore the urgent need for targeted prevention and intervention strategies addressing child sexual exploitation among youth in residential care.

This UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina story follows the journey of foster care as a pathway to belonging for children who cannot live with their biological families, focusing on how stable, family-based care can transform a child’s sense of safety, identity, and future.

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 study of adolescents in residential care in Portugal found that perceptions of psychological adjustment differ significantly between adolescents and their caregivers, with adolescents consistently reporting more emotional, behavioral, and peer-related difficulties. The findings highlight low agreement between informants and emphasize the need for multi-informant, developmentally sensitive assessments, greater inclusion of adolescents’ perspectives, and improved caregiver training and tailored mental health support.

This article from MaltaToday offers a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of foster care in Malta, using the example of urgent, late-night placements to illustrate the system’s challenges. It follows the work of child protection services, where professionals may receive emergency calls—sometimes in the middle of the night—to quickly find safe homes for young children removed from their families due to neglect, abuse, or other complex circumstances.