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 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 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.

This Guardian investigation reports that at least 104 children in England have died over a six-year period in which living in temporary accommodation was identified as a contributing factor, raising urgent concerns about the safety of emergency housing for homeless families.

This webinar, co-hosted by the Transforming Children's Care collaborative and Hope and Homes for Children, dove into the ground-level realities of system strengthening across three diverse national contexts: South Africa, Rwanda, and Bulgaria. Country experts shared the critical bottlenecks they encountered, the strategies that worked, the course corrections required, and the evidence of impact for children and families.

This Guardian article reports that a growing shortage of suitable accommodation for vulnerable children in England is forcing social workers to place children in illegal or unregulated settings as a “least worst option,” sometimes in hotels, carav

This study of young people in residential care in Romania finds that childhood trauma and maladaptive coping are linked to poorer perceived social skills, while adaptive coping is associated with better outcomes. It also shows that self-efficacy plays a key moderating role, highlighting the importance of building both confidence and adaptive coping skills to support healthy social development regardless of trauma exposure.