Digging deeper: Further examination of the association between Out of Home Care experience and poor outcomes, focusing on mental health and wellbeing

Sam Parsons and Ingrid Schoon

This report builds on previous research highlighting the multiple challenges facing children of mothers with out-of-home care (OHC) experience in the UK. It draws on data from young people born in 2000 who are part of the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) to deepen understanding of the association between maternal OHC experience and poor behavioural and mental health outcomes.

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Reflections on Western orphan care, humanitarian ethics, and family separation

Mary Ann McMillan

This commentary critiques Western-led global orphan care interventions, arguing that donor-driven aid, institutionalization, and voluntourism often perpetuate trauma, family separation, and an “orphan economy” despite good intentions. Drawing on lived experience, research, and ethical reflection, it calls for trauma-informed, family-preserving, and culturally respectful approaches that prioritize children’s rights, dignity, and long-term wellbeing.

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20 Years After the Intercountry Adoption Moratorium in Guatemala: Analysis of the Social Welfare System in the Global Era

Karen Rotabi-Casares and Carmen Monico

This article analyzes Guatemala’s child welfare and intercountry adoption systems before and after the 2007 suspension, using Midgley’s framework to examine reforms across non-formal, market-based, non-profit, faith-based, and government systems. Framed by international child rights law, including the Hague Convention, it highlights the shift from illicit, profit-driven adoption practices toward a reformed system while centering child rights and the experiences of birth mothers during the peak adoption era.

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Contemporary Perspectives on Child and Youth Welfare From Different European Countries

Alexandra Geisler, Marco Wille, et al.

This book offers a comparative analysis of child and youth welfare systems across eight European countries, highlighting how diverse legal, historical, and institutional contexts shape responses to young people with complex support needs. Through contributions from researchers and practitioners, it reveals shared tensions—such as care versus control and participation versus coercion—while providing a multi-perspective foundation for transnational learning and policy reflection.

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Inclusive Care Reform in India: Analyzing States’ Readiness and Responsiveness

Keystone Human Services, RIST, Hope and Homes for Children, and CINDI

This report documents the finding of the exercise undertaken by the Children and Families Together (CAFT)-India consortium to assess how Indian states are positioned for disability-inclusive care reform. Drawing from data across States, this highlights each State’s existing care systems and inclusion practices, offering valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and organizations advancing inclusive child protection and care reform in India.

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Adaptation of Case Management Tools Under the Juvenile Justice System for Disability Inclusion

Keystone Human Services, RIST, Hope and Homes for Children, and CINDI

This report presents suggested adaptations to include disability-related questions across three key case management tools under the Indian Juvenile Justice Act 2015 – the Social Investigation Report, Individual Care Plan and Case History Form. It also documents the consultative process undertaken for these adaptations and offers practical recommendations to help child protection systems better identify, support, and include children with disabilities.

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Disability and Child Protection Laws in India: A Study of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 and Disability Laws

Avaantika Chawla, Arushi Singh and Abhishek Rana

This report examines how India’s child protection laws interact with disability legislations, highlighting areas where greater focus is required to bring consonance to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities in need of care and protection are upheld.

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From Vulnerability to Strength: The Impact of Thrive Scale™ on Family Strengthening and Child Separation Prevention in Urban and Rural India

Subroto Chatterjee and Richa Tyagi

This study addresses the urgent need for family-based care for children without parental care, as emphasised by the UN General Assembly’s 2019 resolution, India’s Juvenile Justice Act 2015, and Mission Vatsalya. The primary aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Thrive Scale™ tool developed by Miracle Foundation India in generating measurable, data-driven decisions to plan and implement suitable interventions for family strengthening.

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Young People Transitioning from Out-of-home Care in Sweden, Norway and Australia: Comparison of the Enablers and Barriers

Philip Mendes, Jeanette Olsson, Ingrid Höjer, and Inger Oterholm

This article compares the existing legislative, policy and practice supports for young people transitioning from out-of-home care (known as care leavers) aged 18–25 years in three jurisdictions: Sweden, Norway and Australia. Attention is drawn to the impact of the different welfare regimes in these countries (i.e., social democratic vs liberal), the inconsistencies across different states and regions, and the eligibility and adequacy of existing support programmes.

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From Institutional Care to Family-Based Alternatives: A Narrative Synthesis (2009–2025) and Policy Implications for Ogun State, Nigeria

Azorondu, A. Abigail, Adeniyi Ayomide, Somoye Adeyinka E., Couple Favour A., et al.

This article reviews global evidence on the impacts of institutional care versus family-based alternatives and examines how these findings inform foster care reform in Ogun State, Nigeria. It synthesizes research from 2009–2025 to identify key developmental outcomes, implementation lessons, and policy priorities for transitioning away from institutional care.

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