'Could you be my mum?' — A day inside a family-type children's home in Narva-Jõesuu

Ahead of International Children's Day, a reporter visited family-type children's homes in Narva-Jõesuu to explore whether a stranger can truly replace a parent and become a real source of support for a child. The visit shed light on the daily lives of children who grow up without biological families in Estonia's Ida-Virumaa region.

Not every child grows up with a family. In Narva-Jõesuu, a small coastal town in Estonia's Ida-Virumaa region, family-type children's homes offer an alternative — a place where carers try to fill the role that parents cannot. Ahead of International Children's Day, a journalist from Narvskaya Gazeta spent a day inside these homes to find out what that life really looks like.

Children searching for belonging

The question that gives this story its title — «Could you be my mum?» — was asked by one of the children living in the home, and it captures something essential about the longing felt by children without families. For the carers who work in these homes, such moments are both heartbreaking and motivating, a reminder of why the work matters.

Family-type children's homes are designed to be as close as possible to an ordinary household. Small groups of children live together with dedicated adult carers in a home environment, rather than in large institutional settings. The goal is to give every child a sense of stability, routine, and belonging — the basic ingredients that most families provide naturally.

Life in Narva-Jõesuu's homes

Narva-Jõesuu's children's homes serve some of the most vulnerable young people in the region. Ida-Virumaa has long faced social challenges, and the children who end up in these homes often carry difficult personal histories. Staff members work to ensure that each child receives individual attention and emotional support alongside practical care.

The visit ahead of Children's Day serves as a timely reminder of the ongoing need for foster families and professional carers in Estonia. Authorities and social workers continue to emphasise that every child deserves a safe and loving environment — and that sometimes, a stranger truly can become the most important person in a child's life.