Deinstitutionalisation of children and persons with disabilities

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of North Macedonia and the European Centre hosted the online peer review ‘Deinstitutionalisation of children and persons with disabilities’ on 08-09 February 2023. Over 50 representatives from ministries from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ukraine, as well as other stakeholders discussed experiences and challenges of transitioning children and persons with disabilities from institutional to community-based settings (deinstitutionalisation). Participating countries exchanged experiences on creating new social services in the community that support beneficiaries and their families along the life course (e.g. foster care, personal assistance, or respite care), with special focus on how to operate and finance them in a sustainable way. Experts from Greece and UNICEF also provided useful insights on progress made in Europe to move people out of institutional care and create more inclusive communities for children and persons with disabilities. Check out the snapshots of the respective BB Peer Review here.