Lastekodu

Lastekodu is a residential institution in Estonia that provides care for children who cannot live with their families. It typically houses children who are under guardianship or in protective custody, offering housing, meals, schooling, healthcare, and supervision. Lastekodu aims to meet basic needs while supporting the child’s development and well-being.

In operation, a lastekodu employs social workers, caregivers, educators, and health professionals who organize daily life around schooling, meals, recreation, counseling, and supervised activities. The emphasis is on safety, consistent routines, and creating a stable environment that facilitates education, social development, and, when possible, reintegration with the family or transition to independent living.

Lastekodu covers a range of situations. Some children stay long-term due to ongoing needs or absence of suitable family care, while others are placed there temporarily during investigations, family reunification efforts, or while awaiting alternative arrangements such as foster care or adoption. In recent decades, child welfare systems have shifted toward family-based care, with lastekodus often functioning within a broader continuum that includes foster homes, kinship care, and supportive services to reduce the use of long-term institutions.

Legal and policy frameworks regulate lastekodu operations, outlining standards for safeguarding, education, health care, staffing, and quality of care. Oversight typically comes from social services authorities and child protection agencies, ensuring that children’s rights are protected and that placement decisions emphasize the child's best interests.

In the wider context, lastekodu is part of Estonia’s child welfare system, alongside foster care, adoption, and family support services, reflecting ongoing reforms to balance institutional care with family-based alternatives.