Children are at risk
Constituting more than 17% of the population, there are over 690,000 children and young people under the age of 18 living in Croatia. Of these, about a fifth are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Poverty and unemployment is one of the main reasons why there are 3,500 children in care in Croatia. The lack of support to families so that they can stay together means that many children, some as young as three years old, are first being placed into institutional care
1 in 2
Children do not attend preschool in Croatia
Education
Parents struggle to afford preschool: in Croatia only 54% of children over 3 years attend formal early education programmes in Croatia. Attendance is closely linked to household income, with only one quarter of children of households who receive social assistance attending preschool.
Early childhood education can be particularly beneficial for disadvantaged children, setting them up for further stages of education and improving their prospects.
1 in 5
Children at risk of poverty in Croatia
Families are struggling
Approximately 21% of all people, and 18% of children under 18 years, are at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Croatia.
However, around 70% of the population is still only just managing to make ends meet, struggling to afford necessities.
Children from these families are less healthy than their peers and have little chance to access higher education. This limits their future prospects.
1 in 4
Young people are unemployed in Croatia
Skills mismatch
With a national unemployment rate 7%, Croatia’s young people are twice as likely to be unemployed, with a rate around 15%. Further, over 12% of young people are not in employment, education or training.
Many skilled workers move abroad, leaving a skills gap between those remaining and available jobs.
Youth unemployment is linked to long-term reductions in wages, increased chances of subsequent periods of unemployment, and poorer health and mental health outcomes.
Together we can make a difference for children in Croatia
55
Children and young people
Are supported on their way to independence
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SOS Children’s Villages works to protect the rights and privacy of children. As you may notice, we do not show any identifiable photos of children in general information about Croatia. This is because we have limited permission from the children and/or their legal guardians (photo: SOS Children’s Villages Croatia).
Let’s keep on protecting children and young people!
Many children have been able to find a safe and secure home. With your help, we can continue to change their lives