Bulgaria
2010-2021
Our work started with supporting the most at-risk children: young babies and children with multiple complex disabilities.
We created demonstration regions in Dobrich and Varna and, between 2010 and 2021, helped drive a 97% decrease in children living in institutions, including a 100% reduction in Dobrich.
Czechia
2008-2017
During our time in the country, working as part of a coalition, we helped achieve a landmark ban on institutional care placements for children under the age of three, representing a major milestone in child care reform.
We also trained social workers, published specialised manuals for professionals, and provided technical assistance to help reshape laws and decision-making processes. In our demonstration region of Pardubice, the changes we helped bring about have led to a major transformation: by 2026, no children are living in large institutional settings, instead receiving care in community-based residential services.
Haiti
2010-2022
After the 2010 earthquake, the number of children in institutions soared by 150%.
In 2016, we began working alongside the government, and by 2022, we had documented 25,723 children in institutions, supported the closure of 11 orphanages, and orchestrated the reintegration of 240 children into families.
Greece
2015-2020
From the start, we worked with the government and partners to drive care system reform, interviewing staff working in institutions to build evidence, and forming a coalition of NGOs to support professionals.
When our programme completed, there was growing support for reform, increased understanding of the harm caused by institutionalisation, and broadened awareness of how to transition to community-based care.
Ethiopia
2018 – 2020
We partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Innovative Humanitarian Solutions, and the Norwegian Refugee Council to strengthen family-based care for unaccompanied Eritrean refugee children in four camps in Tigray, Ethiopia.
As a result of our technical support, the proportion of children in family-based care increased from 44% to 62% by July 2020, demonstrating that non-institutional care can succeed even in complex humanitarian settings.
Panama
2019 – 2024
When we started our work, 1,571 children and adolescents were living in 54 institutions in Panama.
We worked with UNICEF and SENNIF to provide technical support for care reform, including training 110 professionals and developing the 2020-2033 Action Plan for the Deinstitutionalisation of Children. We also supported the creation of the national foster care programme and its implementation.
