ABSTRACT
Estimates are that between 2 and 8 million children worldwide are being raised in institutions following abandonment, maltreatment, or being orphaned. Formal estimates are undoubtedly low because many countries with limited resources do not adequately monitor young children’s living arrangements. Institutional rearing is widely practiced in Asia, Central and South America, Europe-especially Eastern Europe-and in the Russian Federation. It may be the most common form of care for orphans and vulnerable children worldwide.
