On February 19, 2014, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights presented a report [3] (Spanish only) entitled, “The Right of Boys and Girls to a Family: Alternative Care. Ending Institutionalization in the Americas.”  According to the press release [4], the report addresses the issue of “children who, for various reasons, do not receive proper care at home and require measures on the part of the State to ensure their well-being and overall development.” The report also addresses the human rights concerns raised when children are institutionalized, given that “the way many residential institutions currently operate does not guarantee that the rights of the children . . . are protected.”  In its recommendations, the report underscores “the need for the States to properly regulate the operation of residential care facilities and carry out proper oversight, investigating them and, where appropriate, punishing any violations of children’s rights that take place in these facilities.”