More Stability, Affection, and Listening: The New Foster Care Model in the Community

The Generalitat has approved a new foster care and adoption model that focuses on what truly matters: the comprehensive well-being of children. The reform of the foster care decree aims for a more humane, agile, and stable system, ensuring that every child can grow up in a safe, loving, and continuous environment.

The Director General of Family, Childhood, and Adolescence and Demographic Challenge, Angélica Such, explained that the new regulatory framework "places children at the heart of the protection system," ensuring that every decision is made with a single objective: their full development and their right to a stable family life.

Among the main improvements of the decree is the prioritization of foster families in any change of protection measure, as long as it serves the best interest of the child. The number of living transitions is also reduced to avoid emotional disruptions and provide greater emotional stability.

Additionally, the text guarantees the right of children to be heard and informed throughout their process, with language adapted to their age and level of understanding, also ensuring accessibility and the necessary support for their active participation.

Such recalled that the new wording aligns with international standards and state and regional regulations on child protection, reinforcing the right of children to family life as the axis of all intervention.

The Generalitat also highlighted the importance of collaboration with foster and adoptive families, considered an essential part of the system. To strengthen this dialogue, the Department of Social Services, Equality and Housing has created the Foster Care and Adoption Board, a permanent space for coordination and dialogue with entities representing families.

"We are placing children's rights at the forefront so that their best interest guides all actions," Such emphasized, recalling that the increase in adoptions reflects progress towards a more stable and affectionate model, where every child can fully develop in a permanent home.