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As of the end of 2025, 725 minors were living in substitute or family homes, up from 714 a year earlier. About 70 percent were older than 12, the Social Insurance Board (SKA) said.

At the same time, 149 children were living with foster families, even as new foster placements fell compared with 2024.

In 2025, 36 children were newly placed with foster families, nearly a quarter fewer than the 47 new placements in 2024. Of those placed last year, 22 were under five years old.

Interest in fostering also fell, with new foster family applications dropping from 37 in 2024 to 30 last year. As of the end of the year, nine foster families and 41 adoptive families awaited placements.

Adoptions declined as well, with 27 children adopted into new families last year, including single-parent households and both mixed- and same-sex couples. New adoption applications fell to 17, down from 23 the year before.

Children adopted last year averaged three years old. Eight were under one year old, while the oldest, previously under the same family's legal guardianship, was 17.

Crisis foster families provided short-term care for 16 children last year. SKA said the national network - currently five crisis foster families and two specialized foster families - is still too small to meet demand.

Most foster applicants in 30s and 40s

Most applicants hoping to become foster parents were born in the 1980s, with the oldest applicant for fostering approximately 60 years old.

Families often prefer kindergarten-age children, though those awaiting placement vary widely in age and background, each needing individual attention and support.

Finding new families remains a priority, the agency said.

Beyond global pressures such as the war in Ukraine and economic uncertainty, SKA noted that attitudes, misconceptions and prejudices also influence decisions to foster or adopt.

To better understand those factors, SKA will survey public attitudes this year regarding family-based foster care to learn what shapes people's interest and willingness to foster, provide crisis foster care or adopt.

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Editor: Mari Peegel, Aili Vahtla

LIVELihtsad uudised 6. veebruarillisten: radio tallinnLIVEwatch: jupiterLIVEAbout usERR News is the English-language service of Estonian Public Broadcasting, run by a fully independent editorial team.To read up on ERR News' comments rules and to contact ERR's other services, please follow the link below.Staff, contacts & comments

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