Today, home for over one million children across Central and Eastern Europe is a desolate, state run institution. Robbing children of their childhoods, institutions rarely meet even their most basic needs. Tragically, many of these children have parents and families, but poverty is keeping them apart.

We are working with governments not only to close state institutions – by moving each individual child into a caring family environment – but also to change outdated attitudes to childcare policy and practice. Closing institutions is just the beginning, not the end, and we are helping governments put in place the alternative care systems that prevent children from entering institutions in the first place.

As part of our pioneering work we have developed a unique model for closing institutions, which has been recognised by international experts, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, as best practice in the field. This model has been published in a ‘how to’ guide for closing institutions and is influencing the reform of childcare services across Central and Eastern Europe.

back to previous page >