CANCELLOR OF JUSTICE AS OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN PART III PART II PART I III. INSPECTION VISITS During the reporting year, the Chancellor visited 14 substitute homes: Tartu Small Children’s Home (Inspection visit to Small Children’s Home Käopesa, case No 7-7/111391), Viimsi Family Home (Inspection visit to Viimsi Family Home, case No 7-9/130079), Vinni Family Home (Inspection visit to Vinni Family Home, case No 7-8/121107), Haiba Children’s Home (Inspection visit and follow-up visit to Haiba Children’s Home, case No 7-8/120596), Keila SOS Children’s Village of the Estonian Association SOS Children’s Village (Inspection visit to Keila SOS Children’s Village, case No 7-9/120492), Valga Children’s Home Kurepesa (Inspection visit to Children’s Home Kurepesa, case No 7-8/120732), Tallinn Children’s Home Maarjamäe Centre (Inspection visit to Maarjamäe Centre, case No 7-8/120491), Tallinn Children’s Home Lasnamäe Centre (Inspection visit to Lasnamäe Centre, case No 7-8/130125), Pärnu Children’s Village (Inspection visit to Pärnu Children’s Village, case No 7-8/121116), Oisu Family Home of South Järva County Children’s Assistance Society (Inspection visit to Oisu Family Home, case No 7-9/121312), Koeru Family Home (Inspection visit to Koeru Family Home, case No 7-8/121311), Kohtla-Nõmme Children’s Home (Inspection visit to Kohtla-Nõmme Children’s Home, case No 7-8/121313), nonprofit association Maria and Children (Inspection visit to Tudulinna Substitute Home, case No 7-9/121314); non-profit association Maria Children’s Centre (Follow-up visit to Maria Children’s Centre, case No 7-9/120507). The Chancellor gave advance notice of all the inspection visits. Based on the collected information, an analysis of the substitute home service was drawn up (case No 16-4/130211). The Chancellor analysed guaranteeing of the rights of children in substitute homes. The aim of the analysis was to assess the substitute home service from the viewpoint of the child – how the children feel in substitute homes, whether they are feeling well, has everything been arranged considering the best interests of the child and involving the child, preparing them for independent life. The state has made considerable investments for creating the necessary living conditions for children, and new family houses in eleven substitute homes have been built or are currently under construction. Children and young people are mostly satisfied with their life in substitute homes and the main daily needs of children are generally met. Nevertheless, on several occasions the Chancellor found recurring and systematic shortcomings in terms of the guarantee of the fundamental rights of children. Eliminating them would even further improve the life in substitute homes. The main problems relate to the creation of family-like conditions for children in substitute homes, the need for a minimum standard for the substitute home service and cost-based financing, the activities of rural municipality or city authorities in exercising their guardianship and care duties in respect of children in substitute homes, and performing state supervision over the providers of the substitute home service. 1. 20 Family-like living conditions According to studies, the best growing environment for children is the family. Therefore, substitute care in Estonia should be organised in a way as to create an opportunity for as many children without parental care as possible to grow in a guardianship or foster family or find a new family through adoption, instead of growing up in an institution. Unfortunately, currently more children without parental care in Estonia live in institutions than in foster or guardianship families, in total more than 1100 children. Therefore, alongside preparing a new concept of substitute care and providing more efficient support to foster and guardianship families, it is equally important to create maximum family-like conditions for children living in substitute homes. In order to create maximum family-like conditions in substitute homes, the state has established several requirements for substitute homes, including a family-based care model and requirements for the ratio of children and teachers per one family in a substitute home.