This qualitative study analyzes institutional narratives between 2002 and 2024 to understand how violence and child abuse have persisted in residential care centers in Chile, drawing on interviews and public statements from child protection authorities. The findings identify systemic deficiencies, structural problems, negligent practices, concealment, and sexual exploitation networks as key factors perpetuating abuse, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive reforms, stronger oversight, and enhanced ethical and professional standards to safeguard the rights and well-being of children under state care.

This study examined protection trajectory patterns among 49 children who experienced residential care in Spain, identifying three distinct profiles through cluster analysis of case-file and psychosocial assessment data. The findings reveal diverse pathways—ranging from early transitions to family-based care, to unstable trajectories marked by multiple placements and higher adversity, to prolonged but stable residential care often involving diagnosed illnesses or disabilities—offering important insights for strengthening child protection decision-making and promoting stable, secure care experiences.

Child participation in decisions that affect them is a core element of a rights-based child protection system, and Advisory Boards of Children (ABCs) provide a structured local mechanism to ensure their meaningful involvement in shaping policies and services. This practical guide offers tools and recommendations to support the safe, effective, and equitable establishment and strengthening of ABCs, building on 15 years of experience and aligning with UN recommendations in Moldova.

دعوة للعمل – معاً لإحداث الأثر

This document has been developed to support those engaging technically with the Global Campaign of Children’s Care Reform by providing a deeper exploration of key themes introduced in the Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform. This document offers elaboration and practical insight into several of the central themes reflected in the Global Charter. It draws on the global evidence base, links to foundational guidance and standards, and incorporates the experience and expertise of those with lived experience of care, technical experts, and practitioners.

The document presents Ukraine’s ongoing child protection reform, known as the Better Care for Every Child initiative, which focuses on shifting from institutional to family- and community-based care. It outlines the key priorities of the National Strategy on Deinstitutionalization, including early identification of vulnerabilities, family support services, inclusive education, and the development of quality alternative care.

This study examined differences in emotional and behavioural problems among 400 adolescent orphans in Kerala, India using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to assess how sociodemographic factors shape mental health outcomes. The findings revealed significant variations by gender, religion, type of orphanhood, length and type of institutional care, underscoring the need for tailored psychosocial interventions that reflect these differences.

This study examined the relationship between disability type and service receipt among U.S. transition-age youth aging out of foster care, a population in which 53% have a diagnosed disability, across all U.S. states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

This study examines how children with unknown parentage are cared for in modern society and the societal risks they face, using analysis of existing research. It finds that factors such as religious beliefs, economic conditions, and post-birth abandonment—along with stigma and discrimination—significantly shape these children’s experiences, and calls for stronger reforms and increased investment in child welfare programs.