CRC/C/ECU/CO/4 institutions and the lack of information on regular inspections and evaluations of these institutions, on the qualifications of their staff, and on safeguards to protect children from mistreatment and on complaint mechanisms. 51. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Take all necessary measures for children placed in institutions to return to their families whenever possible, or to be placed in family-type care, and consider the placement of children in institutions as a measure of last resort and for the shortest period possible; (b) Undertake a study to assess the situation of children placed in different forms of alternative care, including their living conditions and the services provided, and introduce corrective measures aiming at reducing the number of children in institutions and improving other forms of alternative care; (c) Set clear standards for existing institutions and ensure a comprehensive mechanism of periodic review of children placed in all forms of alternative care, in light of article 25 of the Convention and the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children contained in General Assembly resolution 64/142, adopted on 20 November 2009; and (d) Put in place a complaint mechanism for children and use it without detriment to the child’s right to privacy and confidentiality. Adoption 52. While noting that legislation on intercountry adoption has been implemented and – since 2009 – closely monitored by restricting the number of international adoption agencies, the Committee is concerned that other agencies advertise the opportunity to adopt children from Ecuador. 53. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure compliance with the principle of the best interests of the child and the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption at all stages of the adoption procedure, by providing adequate human and financial resources to the central adoption authority so that it can implement its programmes adequately, including by maintaining the oversight and control of all the different phases of the adoption proceedings and adoption agencies and building the capacity of civil servants involved in the process. Abuse and neglect 54. While welcoming the National Plan of Action to Eradicate Gender Violence against Children, Adolescents and Women (Plan Nacional de Erradicación de la Violencia de Género hacia la Niñez, Adolescencia y Mujeres), the Committee is concerned at the high rate of abuse and neglect, including domestic violence against children, often leading to children leaving their homes to escape the violence. 55. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to conduct public awareness campaigns and provide information about parental guidance and counselling with a view, inter alia, to preventing child abuse and neglect. It further recommends providing training to teachers, law enforcement officials, health and social workers and prosecutors on how to receive, monitor, investigate and prosecute complaints about violence and neglect of children in a child and gender-sensitive manner. 11