In the European context, together with the poverty, Moldova is characterized by labor migration abroad. Migration of the active population ranges around 15 %. Due to this fact, approximately 170 000 of children in Moldova have one or two parents abroad and 20 % of them live in households without the support of adults. At the same time, less the 5 % of these children are registered by relevant authorities and use any kind of state care, i.e. have a guardian or are placed in social care institutions. Other children outside the state social care system are living with their relatives or older family members, or they are living entirely alone or in households, where „the head of the family” is also a child. The more likelihood of risky behavior exists in a case of children without adequate support of adults. According to educational institutions, those children, whose parents migrate or who are neglected in their families, are abused or exploited, often miss the school; they are at risk of getting addicted to the alcohol or cigarettes, or gambling, and many other psychological, emotional and adaptational problems. Furthermore, they are more likely to become the victims of trafficking, violence and other forms of abuse.

The development objective of the project is to improve systematically the living conditions of the children, left behind in Moldova, by supporting the creation of the national concept of social care, which will be a part of the integrated system of social assistance. Capacity building for the Moldovan Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family is the main objective of the project. The input activity is mapping the needs and current services for children left behind, which will be followed by a national census of children left behind in Moldova, communication campaign, aimed at parents and social workers, building a database of children left behind, and a strategy document for social care for the children left behind. Thanks to the project, the nationwide response to the phenomenon of the children left behind will emerge, which will be a part of broader complex of reforms of social care system in Moldova. The project is further realized in cooperation with the State University in Chisinau and a local non-governmental organization. The CzDA ensured the project setting in a way that will enable the synergy with other donors and implementers. The project has received sufficient funds from the UNFPA, and extended cooperation with the IOM Chisinau and the World Bank. The nationwide census of abandoned or partially abandoned children in Moldova, as well as other final project activities took place.