Report - UNICEF estimates at least 456,000 children living in Institutions in Europe and Central Asia

Article and report shared by Tom McDermott

Click here for the report.

See also:

UNICEF Report finds numbers of children in care in Western Europe twice global averages, partly due to asylum seekers - BNN Breaking 

UNICEF ECA Regional Office - Pathways

 
AI summary:
Overview
- Approximately 456,000 children are living in residential care facilities in Europe and Central Asia - double the global average.
- Western Europe has a very high rate, with 294 children per 100,000 in institutional care.

Asylum-Seeking Minors
- The rise in unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors is contributing to the high rates of institutionalization.
- However, some countries like Bulgaria, Moldova, Georgia, Türkiye, and Romania are prioritizing family-based care and alternative arrangements through deinstitutionalization policies and investments.

Children with Disabilities
- Children with disabilities are disproportionately placed in residential care facilities, with little progress made in shifting them to family-based care.
- Institutionalization can negatively impact children's well-being through emotional neglect, abuse, and developmental delays.

UNICEF Advocacy
- UNICEF is advocating for:
- Closure of large-scale institutions
- Investment in family and community-based care
- Improved data collection on children in alternative care
- Regional governments and partners to promote deinstitutionalization, family services, and better care alternatives.