Opening Doors, Pan-European De-Institutionalisation Campaign
Strengthening Families. Ending Institutional Care
A safe and loving family environment is the best place for a child to thrive.
The Opening Doors for Europe’s Children campaign aimed to strengthen families and end institutional care.
The campaign coordinated by Eurochild, was a partnership between 5 international organisations and networks: Eurochild, Hope and Homes for Children, the International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO), the European branch of the International Federation of Educative Communities (FICE Europe), and SOS Children’s Villages International.
The campaign ran in 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Spain, and Ukraine.
The campaign contributed to the prioritisation of child protection reforms and deinstitutionalisation in several countries: Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. These countries are seeing fewer children placed in institutional care and increased provision of family-based foster.
The campaign contributed to the EU including deinstitutionalisation reforms in its monitoring of social and economic reforms. The future EU budget is expected to specifically target resources to support the transition from institutional to family-and community-based care and promote social inclusion.
Publications
This final report first reflects on the rationale for the campaign and how it operated; it discusses the progress towards child protection system reform across campaign countries as well as the developments at the EU level and gives final recommendations.
Common myths about deinstitutionalisation.
This guide has been prepared for policymakers and those who need to learn more about deinstitutionalisation for children.
How the EU can support the transition from institutional to family-based care in the next Multiannual Financial Network
- Country Factsheets
The 2018 country factsheets provide an update about the progress with the transition from institutional to family- and community-based care. Download the country factsheets: Austria ; Bulgaria ; Belgium ; Bosnia & Herzegovina ; Croatia ; Estonia ; Hungary ; Greece ; Latvia ; Lithuania ; Poland ; Romania ; Serbia ; Spain ; Ukraine.
National Coordinators
| Austria | FICE Austria |
| Belgium | La Porte Ouverte |
| Bulgaria | National Network for Children |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Hope and Homes for Children BiH |
| Croatia | FICE Croatia |
| Estonia | Estonian Union for Child Welfare |
| Greece | Roots Research Centre |
| Hungary | Family, Child, Youth Association |
| Moldova | CCF Moldova |
| Latvia | SOS Children's Villages Latvia |
| Lithuania | SOS Children's Villages Association in Lithuania |
| Poland | Child and Family Foundation |
| Romania | Hope and Homes for Children Romania |
| Serbia | Mental Disability Rights Initiative MDRI-S Affiliate of Disability Rights International |
| Serbia | MODS |
| Spain | FICE Spain |
| Ukraine | Hope and Homes Ukraine |
Contacts
Zuzana Konradova, Thematic Coordinator - Children in Alternative Care, Eurochild
Closing Event: Photos
