Summary of the EEG’s Study Session held November 14, 2024

Despite progress, institutionalisation remains a deep and systemic challenge, largely driven by a lack of community-based alternatives, insufficient family support, and inadequate access to education and social services. Vulnerable families, including those with children with disabilities, face the highest risks in the absence of effective systems and thousands of children live in institutions, isolated from their families, their peers, and local communities. While the EU has promoted community-based care for over a decade, the discussions highlighted the need for stronger action and guidance, particularly in light of the upcoming EU budget negotiations and the ongoing implementation of the Child Guarantee through 2030.

To highlight how EU member states can prevent institutionalisation and foster better outcomes for children and families in practice,  the European Expert Group (EEG) on the transition from institutional to community-based care, organised an online study session showcasing policies and practices on family support, early childhood intervention, and foster and alternative care in three EU member states. . Held on 14th November, the event was attended by over 130 participants from public authorities, civil society, research and social services.

This session built on previous EEG initiatives focusing on prevention of child institutionalisation, such as the joint statement issued in May addressing national and EU public authorities involved in the Child Guarantee implementation.

The Study Session featured exemplary initiatives from across Europe:

• Preventing Child-Family Separation in Spain: Catalonia’s policy reforms have strengthened prevention services for vulnerable families, reducing the need for alternative care placements.
• Family-Centred Early Childhood Intervention in Portugal: Portugal’s decade-long Early Childhood Intervention system, built on a family-based and transdisciplinary approach, supports children at risk of disabilities and developmental delays.
• Developing Family-Based Alternative Care in Poland: Poland’s progress in establishing a foster care systems was highlighted, along with their response to supporting Ukrainian refugee children and families.

Preventing Child-Family Separation

Identifying and supporting vulnerable children and families, before problems escalate are two key actions at the core of a recent policy reform in Catalonia, Spain, presented at the event.  “We realised that our child protection policies were not putting sufficient focus on strengthen family relationships and parenting skills. Therefore, we introduced the socio-educational intervention service (SIS)”, explainedPolicy Officer Pau Riera, who is steering the SIS implementation for the Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Care at the Region of Catalonia. Luisa Conejos Ara, Head of Social Services Sectoral Programmes, Lleida City Council, shared insights on how this regional reform led to practice changes at local level: “We developed the positive parental triangle programme: Triangle P+, taking into account parental competencies, the child’s needs and the families’ wider context such as school, extended family and the economic and housing situation.” When developing such policies it is key to involve children and families, from the start. This was emphasised by Maria Carmelita Lapadula Head of Knowledge and Social Innovation at Catalonia’s Federation of Organisations for Child and Adolescent Care (FEDAIA), “we see the SIS as a crucial service for improved prevention. For an effective implementation, a participative, intersectional and community-focused approach is needed.”  This first session was organised by the European Social Network (ESN).

Promoting Family-Centred Early Childhood Intervention

EASPD took a leading role in organising and moderating the session on Portugal’s Early Childhood Intervention system. Maria Inês Amaro, Director of the Department of Social Development at the Portuguese Institute of Social Security, outlined the reform’s vision and coordination efforts to ensure early identification of families in need.  She stressed that “Ensuring early intervention for children demands a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that integrates health, education, and social systems, empowering caregivers and fostering development within the child’s natural environment.” Marta Xavier and Rosário Baetas from CECD Mira Sintra shared practical insights, including strengths and challenges of the reform’s implementation, illustrated through a compelling case study. They emphasised the need for consistent funding, resource allocation, and stable frameworks for professionals to ensure the sustainability of the reform.

Developing Family-Based Alternative Care

Eurochild led a session focused on developing family-based alternative care for children in Poland. During the session, Ms. Katarzyna Napiorkowska from the Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Policy provided an overview of Poland’s child protection system. She emphasized that 77% of children deprived of parental care are now placed in family-based care and highlighted plans to continue this positive trend. However, Beata Kulig from the Polish Foster Care Coalition raised critical challenges, including the overrepresentation of children with disabilities in institutional care and the low rates of reunification with biological families. Many children removed from their families remain in alternative care until adulthood. Julia Durska from UNICEF Poland stressed the need for special attention to Ukrainian children deprived of parental care. Of the approximately 2,000 Ukrainian children currently in Poland, only 600 have been integrated into the Polish alternative care system. Barbara Tomasik-Mejsner shared an example of good practice from the municipality of Gdańsk, where a proactive approach has successfully promoted family-based care for all children, including those with disabilities, many of whom are now placed in foster care.

EU is key driver for developing prevention policies

In her closing remarks, Aurélie Baranger, EEG Co-Chair from Autism Europe, affirmed that  “A holistic approach with strong legal frameworks, funding, and partnerships is vital to ensure quality services for children and families”. She stressed the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the strategic use of EU initiatives, like the European Child Guarantee, to empower families and prevent institutionalisation.

The Study Session served as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of collaboration to prioritise children’s wellbeing. By learning from these successes, Europe can take concrete steps toward a future where all children are raised in safe, nurturing, and supportive environments. The EEG and its members will engage with EU, national and local decision makers and practitioners to drive deinstitutionalisation and develop community-based solutions for those in need of support.

Presentations by: 

• Pau Riera, on Preventing Child-Family Separation in Catalonia
  
• Luisa Conejos, on Preventing Child-Family Separation in the City of Lleida
  
• M. Carmelita Lapadula, on Involving Children and Families in Policymaking
  
• Maria Inês Amaro, on Portugal’s Early Childhood Intervention System (SNIPI)
  
• Marta Xavier and Rosário Baetas, on Portugal’s Early Childhood Intervention Legislation (UNIPI) 
  
• Barbara Tomasik-Mejsner, on Foster Care in Gdansk, Poland
  
• Beata Kulig, on the Challenges of the Child Protective Services in Poland
  
• Julia Durska, on Alternative Care for Refugee Children in Poland