CRC/C/COL/CO/3 page 10 Alternative care 54. The Committee takes note of the efforts undertaken in order to increase alternative-care placements in family settings, however the Committee remains concerned about the high number of children institutionalized for extensive periods of time. 55. The Committee recommends that the State party promote foster care as a form of alternative care and suggests that institutionalization be used only as a measure of last resort, taking into account the best interests of the child. Furthermore, the Committee recommends proper resource allocation, functioning and monitoring of the care institutions, including those run by NGOs, and foster care as well as a periodic review of placement in conformity with article 25 of the Convention and the recommendations issued after the general day of discussion in 2005 on children without parental care. Adoption 56. The Committee is concerned over the large number of intercountry adoptions and that only half of these adoptions are administered by the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF). The Committee is particularly concerned that the practice of private “Adoption Houses” increases the risk of profit-making in conjunction with adoptions and contravenes article 21 of the Convention. 57. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that all intercountry adoptions be administered through a central authority as stipulated in article 21 of the Convention and in accordance with the Hague Convention No. 33 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption of 1993, to which Colombia is a party. Also, the Committee recommends that the State party seek to prioritize domestic adoptions. Violence, abuse, neglect and maltreatment 58. The Committee is concerned that, despite government efforts such as the programme Haz Paz (Make Peace) set up to counter intrafamily violence, reports of violence against children, especially girls, in the family environment indicate an escalating trend. The Committee is particularly concerned over the lack of statistics, the limited number of investigations and sanctions in relation to such cases. 59. The Committee urges the State party to: (a) Reinforce mechanisms for monitoring the number of cases and the extent of violence, sexual abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation considered by article 19, including within the family, schools, in institutional or other care; (b) Ensure that professionals working with children (including teachers, social workers, medical professionals, members of the police and the judiciary) receive training on their obligation to report and take appropriate action in suspected cases of domestic violence affecting children;