Casablanca – Morocco has taken a significant step in strengthening its social protection framework with the introduction of a new monthly allowance for orphaned and abandoned children living in social protection institutions. Starting in December 2025, eligible children will receive $51.55 per month, deposited into individual accounts held in their names and managed under a regulated public system. The measure forms part of the broader national effort to generalize direct social support and address long-standing gaps affecting vulnerable children without family care.

The decision was approved during a recent government council meeting as part of the continued implementation of the direct social support system, launched in late 2023. This reform seeks to extend social assistance beyond traditional household-based programs by recognizing specific categories of beneficiaries who had previously remained on the margins of public policy, including children raised in institutional care.

A structured financial safety net for children without family support

Under the new framework, each orphaned or abandoned child placed in an accredited social protection institution will receive a monthly allowance equivalent to $51.55. Rather than being paid out for immediate consumption, the support will be deposited into a blocked personal account opened in the child’s name at a public financial institution responsible for safeguarding minors’ assets.

The funds will remain inaccessible until the beneficiary reaches legal adulthood. Upon reaching that age, the child will be entitled to withdraw the full accumulated amount, with a guaranteed minimum of $1,030.93, regardless of the length of time spent in institutional care. According to official projections, a child who benefits from this allowance continuously for 15 years could accumulate more than $10,000 by the time they come of age.

This approach introduces a long-term savings dimension to social assistance, offering beneficiaries a financial foundation as they transition out of care institutions and into independent adult life.

Addressing a critical transition period

For many years, the moment of leaving social care institutions has represented a major rupture for young people without family support. Upon turning 18, many faced abrupt exposure to economic insecurity, limited access to housing, and difficulties integrating into the labor market. The absence of savings or stable support mechanisms often translated into long-term vulnerability.

The newly established allowance is designed to mitigate this risk by ensuring that beneficiaries leave institutional care with a minimum level of financial capital. While modest in monthly value, the cumulative effect of the support is intended to help cover initial costs related to housing, education, vocational training, or job search during early adulthood.

Legal framework and eligibility rules

The measure is grounded in Article 16 of the law governing direct social assistance, which formally recognizes orphaned and abandoned children in institutional care as independent beneficiaries of public support. The implementing decree defines eligibility conditions, allocation criteria, governance structures, and withdrawal procedures.

To ensure fairness and prevent overlap, the allowance cannot be combined with other forms of financial assistance aimed at vulnerable children, such as monthly benefits linked to childhood risk protection or supplementary aid received by households caring for fatherless orphans. This non-cumulative rule is intended to preserve equity within the broader social support system.

Centralized governance and digital management

Oversight of the program has been entrusted to the National Social Support Agency, working in coordination with relevant public authorities responsible for internal affairs, public finance, and social solidarity. To manage applications, monitoring, and potential appeals, dedicated digital platforms have been established.

These platforms centralize data collected from regional social services and social protection institutions, enabling individualized tracking of beneficiaries and improving transparency in the allocation process. Directors of care institutions play a key role in submitting applications and ensuring that beneficiaries’ records remain up to date throughout their period of care.

The digitization of procedures reflects a broader shift toward standardized, traceable, and accountable management of social assistance, replacing earlier practices that were often fragmented or dependent on discretionary mechanisms.

Part of a broader social reform agenda

This initiative comes alongside other structural reforms aimed at expanding social protection, including the extension of health coverage, the rollout of a unified social registry, and the gradual expansion of family allowances. Together, these measures signal a transition toward a more inclusive and comprehensive social support model.

By formally integrating orphaned and abandoned children into the direct social assistance system, the policy acknowledges their specific vulnerability while affirming their right to equal treatment within national solidarity mechanisms. The focus on long-term capital accumulation, rather than short-term relief alone, marks a shift toward supporting sustainable social and economic integration.

As implementation begins in December 2025, the effectiveness of the program will largely depend on administrative coordination, data accuracy, and ongoing monitoring. Nevertheless, the measure represents a notable development in Morocco’s evolving social protection architecture, offering a structured response to one of the most sensitive gaps in child welfare policy.