New global research reveals how to stop millions of children from growing up alone

Everywhere, children experience separation from their families. Often, it can be prevented.
 

The separation violates every child’s right to be cared for in a family environment. It carries detrimental long-term consequences on the child’s development and wellbeing. Despite efforts to develop national child and social protection systems, including measures to support families, family separation keeps affecting millions of children worldwide.  
 

SOS Children's Villages and partners from 10 academic institutions worldwide have researched the phenomenon of child-family separation and what can be done to prevent it. The research tries to fill a global information gap regarding middle and low-income countries, the contexts of which are not well understood.

The research adopts a child-centred approach to value the lived experiences and voices of the children and families impacted by separation, which are largely missing in current studies.

The research explores:

• The drivers of child-family separation  
• The situation of children affected by it  
• Gaps in responses to prevent and address child-family separation

Read more: Global Report on Children’s Care and Protection: Understanding and Preventing the Separation of Children from their Families

This report stems from collaboration across multiple sectors and stakeholders, including SOS Children’s Villages, academic researchers, and 1,179 research participants. Among these participants were 517 children and young people, 290 adult family members, and 368 professionals, all of whom contributed their insights to this research project.

Why this research matters

This report is a crucial resource for shaping policies to improve child and social protection systems worldwide. It incorporates the perspectives of children, families, and professionals, offering practical solutions for preventing family separation. The research aims to strengthen care and protection systems that prioritize keeping families together while ensuring child safety and wellbeing.