In 2025, 725 children lived in substitute and family homes in Estonia. In 2024, there were 714. About 70% of them were over 12 years old.
149 children grew up in foster families. In 2025, 36 children were placed in foster care. This is less than in 2024, when 47 children were placed. Most of these children were under 5 years old. 16 girls and 20 boys went to foster care.
In 2025, 27 children were adopted. The children went to different families: single parents and same-sex or opposite-sex couples. The number of new adoption applications dropped to 17. In 2024, there were 23.
The number of applications for foster care was 30. In 2024, there were 37. 9 foster families and 41 adoptive families were waiting for children. The average age of adopted children was 3 years. 8 children were under 1 year old. The oldest adopted child was 17 years old.
16 children received help in crisis foster families. Their average age was 2 years. The oldest was 10 years old, the youngest a few weeks. Estonia needs more crisis foster families. Currently, there are only 5.
Among those wishing to become foster parents, most were people born in the 1980s. The oldest applicant was born in 1965. Most families prefer small children. But every child is different and needs special attention.
SKA will conduct a study in 2026. It will help understand why people do not want to become foster or adoptive parents. The study will show how people feel about substitute care.