order to ensure more uniform application of the existing policies to deliver child-friendly social services, in line with the Council of Europe Recommendation on children’s rights and social services friendly to children and families (2011). 2.3 CHILDREN IN ALTERNATIVE CARE 57. In Latvia the main types of alternative care for children are foster care, guardianship, long-term care in small family-based institutions of the type provided by the charity organisation SOS Children’s Villages 51 and long-term care in institutions funded from the state or municipal budgets. 58. Two types of institutions provide long-term residential care for children: State Social Care Centres and Child Care Institutions (the latter are also referred to as orphanages). State Social Care Centres are subordinated to the Ministry of Welfare and accommodate orphans and children without parental care up to the age of 2 years; children diagnosed with mental and physical development disorders up to 4 years of age; and children with severe mental impairments aged from 4 to 18. In 2015, such longterm care services were provided in 7 branches of 3 State Social Care Centres. In addition, municipalities provide long-term social care and social rehabilitation services for orphans and children without parental care aged from 2 to 18 years. In 2015 there were 33 Child Care Institutions under the authority of local governments. 59. During the visit, the Commissioner heard concerns about the slow development of care provided in family or family-like environments, and that institutional care continued to be the first choice in Latvia in most cases, especially for orphans and children without parental care. According to the NGOs, orphans and children without parental care under 2 years of age were particularly likely to be placed in child care institutions, because of the availability of funds for that purpose. 60. In 2015, according to the data compiled by the Ombudsman’s office, there were 347 018 children in Latvia, out of whom approximately 500 were accommodated in State Social Care Centres, and 1 354 in Child Care Institutions. The Ombudsman raised concerns that children most often remained in institutional care for periods from 2 to 6 years, and that 12% of children stayed in institutional care as long as 10 years.52 The Ombudsman also noted the practice of transferring children from orphanages to psycho-neurological hospitals under the authority of the Ministry of Healthcare. In 2015, 372 children were placed in 6 such hospitals. He further expressed concern that some children in hospitals were accommodated together with adults.53 61. The Latvian authorities informed the Commissioner about planned amendments to the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance, envisaging that the stay of children up to the age of 2 in institutional care should not exceed six months. The Commissioner recommended that priority be given to providing alternative care in a family-like environment, before taking any decision on placement in an institution. He also recalled that, according to the predominant opinion of experts, alternative care for children - especially those under 3 - should be provided in family-based settings.54 62. Civil society representatives have expressed concerns about the low number of foster families and obstacles to the development of this form of alternative care, including insufficient financial resources and awareness-raising efforts to encourage a greater number of foster families. Moreover, the slow rate of development of child care services which prioritise a domestic environment over residential state care institutions has been raised by the Ombudsman,55 who has also highlighted the frequent transfers – 157 in 2014 - of children from foster and guardian families into municipal care institutions.56 Similarly, in January 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child voiced concern 51The authorities indicated that as a specific model for this category of alternative care. Submission by the Ministry of Welfare, 28 September 2016. 52 Submission of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia for the 24th Session of the UN Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, 19 June 2015. 53 Alternative Report of the Ombudsman for the Committee on the Rights of the Child of United Nations, (period covered: 1 January, 2007 to 30 June, 2012), Riga 2015. 54 See Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, Resolution Adopted by the UN General Assembly, 24 February 2010. 55 See the Alternative Report of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia for the Committee on the Rights of the Child of United Nations in the Period from 1 January, 2007 to 30 June, 2012: Riga, 2015. 56 Report on the year 2014 By the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia. 14