A new investigation by Lighthouse Reports, with a coalition of six Syrian and international media, reveals how a major EU and UK-funded childcare charity, SOS Children’s Villages, held children in orphanages to extort their parents. 

This special issue of the Children and Youth Services Review concerns the governance of children's care systems in low and middle-income countries, with a focus on Cambodia, Uganda and Zambia. The special issue focuses on the political and bureaucratic factors that shape priority for and the effectiveness of national children's care systems in low and middle-income countries.

India’s 23.6 million orphaned and abandoned children often rely on overburdened caregivers in child care institutions, where staff shortages and high demand affect quality of care. This study evaluates a capability-building program by Udayan Care and Duke University, showing how strengthening caregivers’ skills, knowledge, and wellbeing can improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

Given the severe impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and chronic poverty, the care of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) is a significant national issue in Zambia. This article examines the evolution of governance and policy for the care of OVC and identifies the factors that have shaped Zambia’s priority for and capacity to address this issue.

This article reviews the political factors shaping orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) care systems in low-income countries, highlighting weak governance, limited political commitment, and heavy dependence on external actors. It introduces a social science–based framework of eight key factors—spanning policymaking, governance, and context—to guide research and strengthen OVC care systems.

Alarmingly high numbers of Ugandan children experience or are at risk of experiencing abuse and neglect. This article analyzes the state of priority for and quality of governance of Uganda’s formal system for the care of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

This study is complementary to the alternative care assessment and explores the perceptions and attitudes of policymakers, judges, and frontline child protection practitioners toward alternative care in Bangladesh. It finds broad consensus that children thrive best in families, yet institutional care remains the default due to the lack of structured alternatives.

This landmark national assessment, led by the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Department of Social Services with UNICEF support, provides the first comprehensive mapping of residential childcare institutions across Bangladesh.

El abuso sexual infantil constituye un grave problema mundial que resulta muy difícil develar, particularmente en contextos institucionales y sin soporte familiar. Desde allí, se busca comprender, desde la perspectiva de personas adultas sobrevivientes y psicólogas tratantes, las experiencias de develación del abuso en entornos residenciales en Chile y las respuestas institucionales tras su develación.

This article examines the rise of independent foster care agencies (IFAs) in Sweden, which have introduced a market-based model into a system once managed solely by child welfare authorities. Drawing on national data and social worker perspectives, it explores the benefits, costs, and controversies of IFAs, including concerns about profit-making in foster care.

China’s decision to end its international adoption program after 30 years affects over 160,000 children, many with disabilities, raising concerns about increased institutionalization and developmental risks. This commentary highlights the need for reforms such as expanding domestic adoption, improving foster and kinship care, enhancing institutional quality, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration to create a more family-centered child welfare system.

This study examines the challenges faced by child protection professionals in Turkey when addressing refugee child marriage, highlighting issues in identification, assessment, and residential care due to cultural acceptance and systemic weaknesses. The findings emphasize the need for culturally informed, system-wide interventions to better protect at-risk refugee children.

This article presents the Care Leaver Statistics (CLS) study, the first nationwide panel study in Germany focused on young people leaving out-of-home care, like foster or residential care. It follows about 1,500 youth aged 16–19 over several years to understand their life transitions, including education, employment, housing, health, social networks, and societal participation. The study also emphasizes ethical research practices, diversity sensitivity, and participatory methods that can empower care-experienced youth.

This study examines the challenges African governments face in integrating orphaned and vulnerable children into orphanages and home-based care facilities, with a focus on Zambia. Findings reveal major barriers including insufficient funding, unregistered orphanages, poor coordination with NGOs, cultural factors, and the attitudes of the children themselves.

This article reviews research on how social workers decide to place children in residential care and how facilities are selected, highlighting the complexity and discretion involved in these decisions. It underscores the influence of factors such as children’s age, clinical needs, professional judgment, and limited information on facilities, while calling for more structured, child-centred approaches and stronger collaboration across services.

This report exposes the severe harm temporary accommodation inflicts on children’s health, education, and wellbeing, with over 160,000 affected across England and rising numbers in London, particularly Southwark. It calls for urgent reforms—including stronger accountability, better inter-agency coordination, and dedicated support roles—to protect children’s rights and prevent lasting damage.

This article explores China’s Child Directors System, a nationwide initiative that appoints trained community members to safeguard vulnerable children and connect them with essential services. It highlights the system’s strengths—such as early intervention, broad coverage, and multi-sector collaboration—while noting its potential as a model for other countries.

This article examines why reunification rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care in New South Wales, Australia remain so low, despite being the preferred permanency option. Drawing on insights from practitioners, it highlights the need for culturally grounded approaches and a redefinition of reunification that centers ongoing family and community connections.

Corporal punishment is the most commonly experienced form of violence against children. Evidence shows it harms children’s health and offers no benefits for children, parents, or societies.

يُمثّل الميثاق العالميّ لإصلاح رعاية الأطفال دعوة لقادة العالم للعمل معاً من أجل: الالتزام باتفاقيّة الأمم المتحدة لحقوق الطفل واتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لحقوق الأشخاص ذوي الإعاقة; الاستثمار في الأسر والأطفال ومغادري الرعاية وفي الخدمات الدامجة;القضاء على العنف ضدّ الأطفال وعلى الممارسات الضارّة، مثل سياحة دور الأيتام.

This country care profile provides an overview of key lessons learned in the children’s care reform process in Cambodia, including successes, challenges and areas for progress, and gaps in learning and best practice.

In January 2025, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom launched a bold and visionary initiative: to transform the lives

Research across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka shows that climate change is intensifying drivers of family separation—including poverty, food insecurity, child migration, early marriage, and trafficking—while placing children with disabilities at heightened risk. The study calls for family strengthening to be a central pillar of climate adaptation strategies, emphasizing resilience-building, child and community engagement, and advocacy for both emission reductions and reparations for affected communities.

This study explores how caseworkers in Australia’s out-of-home care system balance children’s right to participate in decisions with concerns about risk and trauma. Findings show that while participation is valued, caseworkers often limit or delay it due to fears of destabilizing placements or harming children’s wellbeing, highlighting the need for more reflexive approaches to strengthen participatory practice.

This study examines Algeria’s use of kafala as a legally recognized alternative to adoption, highlighting its role in protecting the identity and citizenship rights of children of unknown parentage. While kafala aligns with Islamic principles and offers a protective framework, legal gaps, administrative barriers, and social stigma persist, underscoring the need for reforms to ensure children’s full legal identity and social inclusion.