Nearly 50 precent of children in Czech infant care homes are of Roma origin

Almost 50 percent of the children in infant care homes in Czechia are of Romani origin, according to an annual report released by the Ministry of Labour. This spring, there were a total 410 children below the age of three in institutional care, 189 of whom were Romani. Nearly a quarter of those children suffer from some kind of physical disability.

Under an amendment to the current legislation on the social protection of children the early childhood care institutions are due to cease their operation by the end of next year. Instead, children under the age of three should be cared for by foster parents.