Institutionalization of Children in the Czech Republic: A Case of Path Dependency

Authors

Victoria Schmidt, Masaryk University
Jo Daugherty Bailey, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Keywords

Path dependency, child protection, residential care, institutionalization, children in care

Abstract

Despite the development of alternative forms of care, international and domestic pressures for change, and over 20 years of efforts at deinstitutionalization, the Czech Republic has one of the highest rates of institutionalization of children in Europe (UNICEF, 2012). The continuing reliance upon residential care for children by the child protection system, particularly for children who are disabled or of Roma descent, demonstrates a case of path dependency in which a solidification of the system’s response is rooted in its past. Understanding the impact of historical precedence is key to reforming the current system.

Recommended Citation

Schmidt, Victoria and Bailey, Jo Daugherty (2014) "Institutionalization of Children in the Czech Republic: A Case of Path Dependency," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 41: Iss. 1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3833
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol41/iss1/4