This year presented significant challenges for the entire child protection system, with specialized care institutions facing particularly tough circumstances. State-run children’s homes in Hungary have struggled with ongoing difficulties for various reasons, and it’s no exaggeration to say that the situation has reached a critical point this year.
Currently, 23,000 children live in state care in Hungary, with an additional 140,000 minors at risk of being removed from their families at any moment. The people working in the system are tasked with providing these deeply traumatized children not only with a safe and stable home but also with a supportive environment full of meaningful connections. This already challenging mission becomes even more difficult when they lack the necessary professional resources or infrastructure to carry it out effectively.