The Right of Boys and Girls to a Family: Alternative care – Ending institutionalization in the Americas

A report prepared by the Rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on children’s rights to family care and alternative care. The report demonstrates the integration of the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children within the Human Rights frameworks of the Americas, such as the right to an identity in observing a child’s right to preserve their family relations. It emphasizes that special protection measures are required to respond to the separation of children from their family through transparent, legal and due process mechanisms in line with the protection of their rights. A central finding in the report is the urgency of adopting appropriate legislation to regulate residential institutions. The report also found evidence of children in care belonging to marginalized and minority groups who require services and support programs much more responsive to their particular needs and contexts. The report concludes that the core priorities for Member States must be the protection of children in temporary alternative care and legislative and reform agendas which both address the factors that lead to family separation and that promote the reintegration children in their families or, if necessary, within another alternative care solution.