YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Master of Public Affairs program is pleased to announce the recent publication of an article authored by visiting lecturer Aino Alaverdyan, who is also a researcher at JAMK University of Applied Sciences, School of Health and Social Studies in Jyväskylä, Finland and a Ph.D. candidate in the Doctoral Programme in Welfare, Health and Management at the University of Eastern Finland.
The publication of Alaverdyan’s article, titled “Childcare Deinstitutionalization in Armenia from the Systemic approach Perspective,” marks a significant step in advancing AUA’s research portfolio, a key priority outlined in the University’s Strategic Plan. Her research appears in Relational Social Work, an international peer-reviewed journal that analyses and promotes the relational approach in social work and in related areas of social policy, social welfare, social development, and human services, by publishing refereed papers on key issues in social work.
Alaverdyan’s study highlights the systemic transformation of childcare in Armenia between 2013 and 2021. She notes that the country is shifting toward a modernized child protection framework, moving away from residential institutions in favor of family-based alternative care and strengthening community services and professional social work. The legacy of orphan care after the Armenian Genocide and the Soviet-era institutional model has gradually lost prominence within the system. Armenia’s deinstitutionalization (DI) process is comprehensive — by going beyond closing or repurposing residential facilities and reuniting children with their families, it impacts all aspects of the child protection system. Significantly, the progress of DI reform in Armenia has been driven by the sustained efforts of international and national NGOs, alongside other key stakeholders.
The article concludes that beyond structural change, a cultural shift is also underway with the growing recognition of the child’s right to a family environment. Key challenges remain, particularly in services for children with disabilities and in strengthening accountability and intersectoral collaboration.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.