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This background paper was developed as part of a regional study which gathered relevant data and information on family support and alternative care in the eleven Member States of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation and Sweden. The aim of this study was to identify progress and challenges in preventing family separation and safeguarding the rights of children in alternative care in the region. This background paper offers a comprehensive and detailed overview of the situation of…
Government representatives, experts and professionals from the Baltic Sea Region including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Sweden and wider Europe gathered at a two-day expert meeting in Tallinn, Estonia and, together, endorsed a set of recommendations and action plan on alternative care and family support on 6 May 2015. The Recommendations and Action Plan highlight the urgency of integrating services for children and families at risk, making services accessible at a low threshold, ensuring timely interventions and longer…
This country care review includes the Concluding Observations for the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Committee’s recommendations on the issue of Family Environment and Alternative Care as well as other care relevant issues are highlighted, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.
This report from SOS Children’s Villages and the University of Bedfordshire provides reviews and assessments of the implementation of the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children in 21 countries around the world. The report is aimed at enhancing knowledge around violence against children in alternative care (especially what makes children vulnerable and what puts them at risk) and providing policymakers and practitioners insight into the challenges of protecting children from violence as well as recommendations for change.
The report offers several key findings from an extensive…
Article 7 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) states that every child has “the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents.” When a child is abandoned, this right is violated. Infants and young children are those most at risk of being abandoned There is a distinct lack of research in understanding the extent, causes, and consequences of child abandonment. Such studies are essential in order to develop effective prevention programs and strategies aimed at protecting children most vulnerable in the European society.
This comprehensive manual provides an overview of…
The reforms undertaken during the transition to a market economy have had an uneven and divergent social impact on the countries within the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. It is now recognized by governments in many parts of the region that the policy of using institutional care for children with welfare needs is both ineffective and expensive. Despite reforms, the quality of care within institutions and in the new community- based services is still inconsistent and in many cases does not meet the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The…
This report assesses how far the SCEP Statement of Good Practice and relevant international obligations are met in 11 countries of Central Europe and the Baltic States, in relation to specific issues: the definition of a “separated child”, access to the territory, identification, the appointment of a guardian or adviser, registration and documentation, age assessment, freedom from detention, the right to participate, family tracing and contact, family reunification in a European country, interim care, health, education and training, the refugee determination process and durable or long-term…
This is an article from the U.S. Army touting Lithuanian and American service members who worked together to build a new fence, gate, and sign for an orphanage in Siauliai, Lithunia. According the article, the 'baby' orphanage or 'infants' home facility runs on donations only. The center's adoption rate is 50%.
The capital city of Lithuania, Vilnius, is making concerted efforts to close down all orphanages by the year 2020, according to the article. There are approximately 330 children living in institutions in the city currently. The city says it will invest in supporting families to stay together, including families with children with disabilities, and will transform large orphanages into “smaller ones reconstructed to resemble natural community environments.”
To facilitate Barnahus and similar setups to hear about how children experience their service, PROMISE has developed a Child Participation Tool. The tool focuses on the child’s experience of Barnahus, including the travel to Barnahus, their experience in Barnahus, coming home from Barnahus and potential follow up or mid-to-long term treatment in Barnahus or by a mobile Barnahus team.
Join this webinar to walk through the tool with the author Olivia Lind Haldorsson, and to discuss with European colleagues about approaches and considerations for soliciting children’s views on their…