World Bank2013-08-232013-08-232002-12-09https://hdl.handle.net/10986/15317This Note was prepared in response to the needs for technical assistance expressed by the the Ministries responsible for child welfare and child protection in Armenia. With the Ministry of Education and with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Security is developing a child welfare strategy, which will feed into the Poverty Reduction Strategy that is currently being drafted by the Armenian Government. The purpose of this Note is to assist the preparation of the child welfare strategy by identifying major issues in family and child welfare, assessing efficiency and effectiveness of current policies and suggesting measures that would better ensure the well-being and future of Armenia's children. This note discusses the dramatic political, economic, and social changes that Armenia went through over the 1990s. Some of them, especially prolonged economic hardship and extensive out-migration have had a criticial impact on child welfare; they have weakened the capacity of Armenia families to manage risks, as well as the ability of the state to provide meaningful support. Other factors contributing to the current state of child welfare include high poverty risk, low health and nutrition status, lesser access to education, effects of migration, and the increased risk of joining an underclass of children deprived of family upbringing. The government will have to focus on a number of key issues in creating an environment ensuring family and child well-being.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOCHILD WELFAREHUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENTCHILD PROTECTIONFAMILY WELFARESOCIAL POLICY REFORMCHILD HEALTHCHILD NUTRITIONACCESS TO EDUCATIONMIGRANTSFAMILY RELATIONSHIPS & POOR CHILDRENGOVERNMENT ROLEEQUITY IN EDUCATIONSOCIAL SAFETY NETSDEINSTITUTIONALIZATIONLABOR FORCE PARTICIPATIONUNEMPLOYMENT RATESSOCIAL CHANGEFEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDSFAMILY WELFAREMATERNITY LEAVENATIONAL POLICYLEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ACCESS TO EDUCATIONACCESS TO HEALTH CAREACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICESACCIDENTSACCOUNTACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONSADEQUATE HEALTHADOLESCENTAFFORDABLE HEALTH SERVICESAGEDANEMIABASIC HEALTH SERVICESBIRTH RATEBIRTH WEIGHTBIRTHSCARDIOVASCULAR DISEASECARE SERVICESCASE MANAGEMENTCHILD CARECHILD CARE PROGRAMSCHILD HEALTHCHILD MORBIDITYCHILD PROTECTIONCHILD WELFARECHILD WELFARE OUTCOMESCHILD WELFARE POLICYCHILDHOOD EDUCATIONCHILDHOOD MORTALITYCHILDREN IN INSTITUTIONSCOGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTDEATH RATEDIARRHEAL DISEASEDISADVANTAGED CHILDRENEARLY CHILDHOODEXTENDED FAMILYFAMILIESFAMILY LIFEFEMALE MORBIDITYFERTILITY BEHAVIORHEALTH CAREHEALTH INDICATORSHEALTH OUTCOMESHEALTH SERVICESHIGH-RISKHYPERTENSIONINDICATORS FOR CHILDINFANTSINFECTIONINFECTIOUS DISEASESINSTITUTIONAL CAREINSTITUTIONALIZATIONINSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDRENIRONLIFE EXPECTANCYLIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTHLIVE BIRTHSLIVING CONDITIONSMALARIAMATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTHMATERNAL HEALTHMATERNAL MORTALITYMATERNAL MORTALITY RATEMIGRATIONMORBIDITYMORTALITYMORTALITY RATESMOTHERSMUMPSNUTRITIONNUTRITION DEFICIENCIESNUTRITION STATUSNUTRITIONAL STATUSPARENTAL CAREPARENTSPOOR %% CHILDRENPOOR CHILDRENPOSTNATAL CAREPRIMARY HEALTH CAREPRIVATE SECTORPRODUCTIVITYPUBLIC HEALTHRESIDENTIAL CARERESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONSRISK BEHAVIORSRISK OF MORBIDITYSAFETYSCHOOL ATTENDANCESCHOOLSSECONDARY EDUCATIONSINGLE MOTHERSSOCIAL ASSISTANCESOCIAL BEHAVIORSOCIAL DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL EXCLUSIONSOCIAL PROTECTIONSOCIAL SAFETYSOCIAL SERVICESUNDER 5 MORTALITYUNEMPLOYMENTVACCINATIONVULNERABLE CHILDRENVULNERABLE GROUPSWAGESYOUNG CHILDRENYOUNG WORKERSYOUTHWorld Bank10.1596/15317