Nearly 1,000 children in Latvia wait in line for a family

The Latvian SOS Children's Villages Association, together with the Bauska municipality, has launched a campaign called "In Line for a Family" to draw public attention to children who are waiting not for a service, but for a family. As part of the campaign, a symbolic outdoor installation — a row of empty chairs — has been set up in Bauska and will travel to other Latvian regions until November.

According to the association, more than 5,160 children in Latvia are currently in out-of-family care under guardianship or foster families, while around 1,000 children are still waiting in care and crisis centers for a suitable family solution.

Number of foster families declining

Latvia currently has 6,541 registered foster families with official status, which have already taken in more than 1,300 children. The organization points to a worrying trend: while the number of children in out-of-family care is rising, the number of foster families is decreasing every year.

Ilze Paleja, chair of the association's board, stressed that behind every statistic is a specific child with their own story and a simple wish to belong and feel needed. She noted that sometimes a single adult willing to open their home and heart can be decisive for a child's life.

Linda Abu Meri, a representative of the Bauska municipal council, said that calls from social services or the orphan's court about a child urgently needing a safe place are emotionally very difficult moments. She expressed hope that the campaign will encourage more people to become foster parents, since Latvia currently has more children needing families than foster families willing to take them in.

Those interested in becoming a foster family can find more information and take an assessment test at rindauzgimeni.lv.