child welfare

What Countries With Established Foster Care Systems Get Right

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Feature image showing a foster parent supporting two children during a creative activity, representing the key strengths of established foster care systems, including stability, ongoing support, and positive child outcomes.

Foster care systems vary enormously from one country to the next, even among nations with similar wealth and similar child protection laws. Some manage to keep carers in the role for years, while others lose a large share of new recruits within twelve months, and that gap has a direct effect on how stable a … Read more

Understanding Guardianship, Kinship Care, and Other Ways Families Step In

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Grandparent and family member reading with a child, representing guardianship, kinship care, adoption, and family support for children.

When a child’s own parents cannot look after them safely, several legal and informal routes exist for a family member or trusted adult to step in. Special guardianship, kinship care, adoption and fostering serve a broadly similar purpose but differ sharply in the responsibility they hand over, the support attached, and how permanent they are … Read more