Growing up in an institution puts children at risk of physical, emotional and social harm. Every child has the right to grow up in a supportive family environment. But worldwide, an estimated 2.7 million children live in residential care – and the actual figure is likely much higher. Children may be separated from their parents and placed in alternative care for various reasons. Armed conflict, natural disaster and migration tear many families apart. Other children end up in residential care because of discrimination: Disability (or the disability of a parent), ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation force countless girls and boys into institutions. Still others may be separated as a result of government policies that fail to prioritize families or account for a child’s most basic need for nurturing care – a critical element of healthy growth and development.

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