Mapping the Number and Characteristics of Children Under Three in Institutions Across Europe at Risk of Harm: Report of Proceedings

Research shows that the first three years of life are critical for health and development. Young children (0 to 3 years) placed in residential care institutions without parents are at risk of harm in terms of attachment disorder, developmental delay and neural atrophy in the developing brain. Under the European Union Daphne programme, a mapping project entitled 'Mapping the number and characteristics of children under three in institutions across Europe' has been conducted, involving 32 countries of the European Union, accession countries and countries within the European Economic Area. This project concentrates on children aged 0 to 3 years who reside in children's homes and other residential facilities for more than 3 months without parent(s) or primary caregiver(s). The aim was to estimate the prevalence of young children living in these conditions of adversity.