On February 18, 2026, the Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, visited a small group home, a shelter for mothers and childres, and a youth shelter in the SOS Children's Village in Tbilisi.

The Public Defender viewed the infrastructural condition of the institutions, met with beneficiaries, administration and employees, received information about the aspects of service delivery and the challenges and needs relating to this process.

The Public Defender of Georgia emphasizes that it is necessary for the State to further strengthen a child-centered, safe, and development-oriented environment for children in state care, including those living in group homes, which requires holistic and continuous support. In addition, it is important to strengthen transitional support programmes for young people aged 18-21 who are leaving the state care system due to reaching adulthood, so that they can properly prepare for independent living and socio-economic integration.

In addition, it is crucial to develop shelter services for mothers and children, inter alia, to ensure long-term support for the biological families and to strengthen the independent living skills of beneficiaries.

The Public Defender continues to systematically supervise alternative care and family support services and develop recommendations in order to respond to the identified needs.