Child Protection

Comments TO THE EDITOR: In response to the letter from Francisco Covarrubias, published this week, it is imperative to clarify that the budget allocation for the Alternative Care Protection Service does not reflect State neglect, but rather a profound reform of the care systems: prioritizing family foster care over residential care. The evidence and the dignity of every child demand that we overcome historical inertia. The family environment is the most effective way to guarantee the comprehensive well-being of children and adolescents, and it can cost as little as one-fifth of what it costs to keep a child in a residential facility. This year, 3,700 foster family placements will be put out to tender. This expansion not only absorbs the waiting lists but also makes more than 1,300 additional vacancies available for deinstitutionalization processes, reducing operating costs without diminishing coverage. Quite the opposite: it expands real care capacity with greater availability of placements. The residential crisis is not solved by insisting on formulas that have proven to be worn out, but by decisively committing to deinstitutionalization, reunification with the family of origin, or adoption. That is the direction the 2027 Budget for Childhood is heading: diversifying foster care up to therapeutic-based models, and specializing residential facilities exclusively for the most complex profiles. We are not cutting the budget or leaving children without care; we are transforming care into a true right to live in a family. Marcelo Sánchez Ahumada Undersecretary for Childhood More about: Budget Resources Well-being Residential facilities