Karlino is located in the northwest of Poland in a mainly agricultural and rather poor area. A high percentage of the local people are unemployed and most families live below the line of poverty. Children are often suffering from malnutrition. Karlino lies at a distance of 28 kilometres from the Baltic Sea and approximately 20 kilometres southeast of the next larger town, Koszalin. The municipality puts a lot of effort into modernizing the town and developing local initiatives. Throughout the last few years, schools, sports facilities, health centres and a hospital were built, thus improving the infrastructure considerably. A plot of land on the outskirts of the town was given to SOS Children's Villages free of charge. The family houses do not single out when compared to the detached houses of the vicinity and match the neighbouring buildings perfectly. The official opening of SOS Children’s Village Karlino took place on 23 September 2006 in the presence of numerous friends and guests of honour.

SOS Children's Village Karlino comprises fourteen family houses for up to 91 children, an administration and multipurpose building, a workshop, rooms for the SOS aunts (who support the SOS mothers and take care of the children when the mothers are on leave) and an apartment for the village director.