Strengthening Society's Role in Supporting Care Leavers Across Argentina & beyond

The Social Innovation

Magnitude of the Problem, and its Root Causes

Across Latin America, an estimated 350,000 children and adolescents live in alternative care institutions, often facing violence, neglect, and a lack of preparation for independent adulthood (RELAF, 2010).  

Upon leaving care, these young people encounter high rates of poverty, unemployment, housing insecurity, and social isolation. The costs—both human and societal—are immense. Here is a glimpse into what it’s like to turn 18 and have to leave care.

During their participation in the Globalizer co-created by Ashoka, Hystra and Swiss Development Corporation in 2017, they highlighted the following key factors contributing to the magnitude of the problem:    

• Lack of state investment in transition support and aftercare policies
• Weak or absent legislation addressing the needs of care leavers
• Poorly trained and underpaid care staff
• Limited youth participation in decision-making
• Societal invisibility and stigma toward care leavers

Based on their systems change analysis, Doncel made it a mission to improve the role the state and civil society play so they are active and involved in the process of transition of adolescents and young people who leave care in Argentina and beyond. 

“I found the [Globalizer] process tremendously effective and fruitful. There was enough time for reflection, for understanding, and also for receiving support from experts to help us understand risks and challenges before we were in the field. It was really the right time for that.

After Globalizer, we really followed the steps that we had designed. Today, we have a network in Latin America with 11 countries included and 31 organizations. The process was really impressive for me, because we have used it until today—whenever we need to go back to the foundations of Ashoka or the Latin American network, we go back to Globalizer.”

Strategy to Catalyze a Network of Changemakers towards the Targeted Mission

The strategy involves developing the field to improve formal processes to support care leavers.

Some of the tactics they deployed towards the mission as a part of the strategy include:    

1) Co-Creating a Regional Latin America Network to Collaborate with Stakeholders across Sectors to Define & Drive the Agenda

The process began during the Globalizer program, when Doncel co-created the initial framework of the The Red Latinoamericana de Egresados de Protección (Latin American Network of Care Leavers) together with Ascep (Colombia), Proyecto B (Chile) and Fundación TIA (Bolivia).  

This collaborative approach led to a network that is intentionally horizontal and inclusive. Member organizations are encouraged to invite others, creating a ripple effect of engagement. Annual in-person meetings and co-created action plans foster trust and alignment, while a membership fee model ensures sustainability and commitment.  

“It is critical to try to be as horizontal as you can. Because the network is not the main activity of any organization. Organizations belong to networks, but they don’t live through networks. We understood that this network was a platform to help countries and help organizations in their own agendas and not vice versa.  We needed to have care leavers in the center, to help public policies develop and strengthen from their own perspective. Kids in care are not usually asked about what they think or what they need or what they believe the system should be like.”

From the outset, the network established youth committees in each country, with elected representatives who serve on the executive committee. These young leaders are not just symbolic; they have real power in shaping the network’s agenda, leading advocacy, research, and peer support initiatives.  

“Today, this network is considered as a network run by young people, which is what I really wanted to happen. Anytime somebody needs to include the voice of young people, then that’s where they call us, either in the countries or regionally.”  

The network’s democratic structure ensures that care leavers choose their own representatives and set their own priorities, making youth leadership a lived reality rather than a slogan.

As of 2025, the network has 30 member organizations from 11 countries and is now recognized as a regional reference point for care leaving and the voice of young people.

2) Co-creating the Case & Data by Consulting Care Leavers to Inform & Involve Institutions in Prioritizing Support  

Recognizing the lack of data and visibility around care leaver issues, the network made research a main component of its annual plans. Regional diagnostics and studies were conducted to highlight the lived experiences and needs of care leavers, providing a foundation for advocacy and policy change.  

• Transitions of Adolescents and Youth from the Alternative Care System to Independent Life
  • A six-country Latin American study (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru) that examines policies, gaps, and good practices in how states support young people leaving residential care systems, and offers concrete public policy recommendations to ensure rights-based, sustained transition to independent life.
  • The research was conducted in alliance with Universidad de Monterrey (Mexico), Associação Fazendo História (Brazil), Buckner (Peru), ASCEP (Colombia), and Fundación TIA Bolivia, with additional support from UNICEF's Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and Hope and Homes for Children.
• Adolescents and Youth Without Parental Care in Latin America
  • A country-by-country examination — covering Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru — of the realities faced by adolescents and young people leaving state alternative care systems, with policy recommendations to better support their transition to independent life.
  • Published with the Cátedra por la Infancia of the Universidad de Monterrey (Mexico), the book brings together contributions from organizations across nine countries — including Asociación Civil Doncel (Argentina) and 19 member organizations in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
• First Regional Mapping: Activism of Care Leavers in Latin America and the Caribbean
  • A regional mapping initiative to identify and connect activists, associations, and informal groups of care leavers across Latin America and the Caribbean, with the goal of building a directory that strengthens the network and amplifies their voice in shaping child protection systems.
  • The project is a joint initiative of the Red Latinoamericana de Egresados de Protección, Doncel, Better Care Network, and Changing The Way We Care, organized across three sub-regions (Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean; the Andean Region; and the Southern Cone), with care leavers themselves forming part of the project team.

“These studies provided concrete data on the realities and needs of young people leaving care, which was essential for making the case to policymakers and the public. The network’s research was not just academic—it was co-created with care leavers themselves, who contributed their stories, priorities, and recommendations.”

This evidence-based approach has been critical in raising awareness and driving legislative reform.

3) Co-creating Advocacy Campaigns to Influence Governments for new Care Leaver Welfare Laws

Armed with the evidence, the network engaged in targeted advocacy campaigns in each member country. This included organizing public events, publishing articles and reports, and holding meetings with legislators, government officials, and other key stakeholders.  

The network also facilitated the direct participation of care leavers in these advocacy efforts. Youth representatives spoke at parliamentary hearings, participated in roundtables, and met with decision-makers to share their experiences and articulate what effective support would look like. This includes participation in spaces like UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2021 Day of General Discussion to the theme of "children's rights and alternative care", and youth advocating for effective support through media interactions like this.

The network also leveraged its partnerships with international organizations like UNICEF and Hope and Homes to gain technical support, legitimacy, and access to regional policy forums to run advocacy campaigns for new care leaving laws, collaborating closely with governments, legislators, and civil society.  

Three countries (Argentina, Colombia, Peru) have passed new laws specifically addressing the transition of young people out of alternative care, while other countries in the region have raised the issue on their national agendas.  The National Law for care leavers in Argentina created a Program that includes more than 3200 Youth so far.

The network is now a go-to resource for policymakers seeking youth input, and its advocacy has resulted in new legislation in four countries and increased visibility of care leaver issues across the region. Importantly, the network’s approach ensures that policy change is not just about passing laws, but about shifting the narrative and building a culture of youth participation and accountability in the care system.

“All the countries have really raised this subject and raised awareness of what happened to young people after care at the same time. This network belongs to other networks that are global, and there’s a dialogue between different networks that have helped countries see new models to implement care leaving policies.”