In Nisporeni county, we’ve reached a landmark moment: every child under six years old is out of orphanages and Back to Family.
We sat down with Livia Marginean, who works with our partner, CCF Moldova, to find out more about this important achievement.
Livia, how long has CCF Moldova been working in Nisporeni?
We’ve been working in Nisporeni since 2015.
How did you achieve this milestone?
This achievement is the result of many years of consistent work with local and national authorities and our partners, UNICEF. We supported the entire deinstitutionalisation process through workforce development, professional mentoring, community awareness raising, prevention services, family support and the expansion of alternative family-based care, particularly foster care.
Was there a moment that changed everything?
One of the most important turning points was when children with disabilities were successfully placed in foster families.
Professionals could see with their own eyes that these children were able to grow up in loving families, attend kindergarten and school, make progress and thrive. This helped overcome fears and misconceptions about caring for children with disabilities outside orphanages.
What will happen now to children who would have been placed in an orphanage?
We now know that orphanages have serious long-term consequences for young children. Instead of being placed in orphanages, children should receive support within their families whenever possible. When alternative care is needed, family-based solutions such as foster care provide children with stable relationships, individual attention and sense of belonging that every child needs to develop and thrive.
What’s next for getting children Back to Family in Moldova?
The next step is to ensure that orphanages are fully replaced by the services children and families actually need. This means strengthening prevention services, expanding foster care and recruiting enough foster parents, including those able to provide emergency placements.
Most importantly, we need to continue investing in families and communities, ensuring that children receive the support they need before they’re separated from their families. Prevention must remain at the heart of the reform, because the best place for a child to grow up is in a safe and caring family environment.
