Ending Child Institutionalization

The detrimental effects of institutionalization on a child’s well-being are widely documented. Family based care alternatives such as kinship or foster care, are much more effective in providing care and protection for a child, and are sustainable options until family reunification can take place. The use of residential care should be strictly limited to specific cases where it may be necessary to provide temporary, specialized, quality care in a small group setting organized around the rights and needs of the child in a setting as close as possible to a family, and for the shortest possible period of time. The objective of such placement should be to contribute actively to the child’s reintegration with his/her family or, where this is not possible or in the best interests of the child, to secure his/her safe, stable, and nurturing care in an alternative family setting or supported independent living as young people transition to adulthood. 

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Changing the Way We Care,

Este documento está diseñado para orientar a las personas u organizaciones que están apoyando un proceso de transición para pasar de proporcionar atención residencial a un modelo que promueva la atención familiar y comunitaria. El documento está diseñado en torno a las Fases de la Transición de Better Care Network. Se basa en el trabajo que Changing the Way We Care ha realizado en los últimos años para apoyar a diferentes proveedores de atención residencial, tanto religiosos como laicos, en su propio proceso de transición. Hay ejemplos y enlaces a herramientas relevantes, mensajes y actividades sugeridas que pueden utilizarse para apoyar las diferentes fases del proceso.

Changing the Way We Care, Story International,

This case story is meant to illustrate transition, the actors involved, the challenges and the success factors; recognizing that each transition is an individual process with different starting points, different dynamics and different evolutions. Story International’s transition example demonstrates the ups and downs of divesting from the orphanage model.

Changing the Way We Care,

The Journey of Change and Safe Closure case story demonstrates the process of early engagement and awareness to supporting the long-term reintegration of children in families.

Hope and Homes for Children,

This Hope and Homes for Children publication provides critical lessons learned, practical evidence and recommendations to support global, regional and national decision makers to build political will, strategies, policies, and target funding to transform care systems.

Emily Delap - Regional Learning Platform on Care Reform, UNICEF, Changing the Way We Care ,

Although care reform is well established in some parts of the Eastern and Southern Africa, many countries in the region are just beginning their care reform journey. This short paper is aimed at these contexts. It explains what care reform is, the different components of care reform, why care reform is important and how to start a care reform process. 

Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC),

The Returning to Original Vision case story demonstrates reunification of children with disabilities as a critical step in transition. It also highlights the challenges of maintaining organizational vision within a process of transforming services. 

Lynette Oosthuizen-Erasmus, Anri Gretha Adlem,

This article advances a greater understanding of the views, perceptions and experiences of caregivers caring for abandoned infants and toddlers living in institutional care in South Africa, on the basis of information obtained from 15 participants interviewed through semi-structured interviews in this qualitative study. Understanding their views, perceptions and experiences provides vital information to develop social work practices.

Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC), Identity Mission,

The story of Identity Mission tells how a program focused on supporting vulnerable children by providing family-based care solutions alongside the local church came to be and what the challenges were to creating a mission focused on family. It is the story of one person’s own transition.

Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC), Sky Ministries,

This case story is meant to illustrate transition, the actors involved, the challenges and the success factors; recognizing that each transition is an individual process with different starting points, different dynamics and different evolutions.

Josh MacAlister,

This report is a culmination of an independent review of the UK's care system in order to build recommendations for how the system can be improved and to continue feeding in a wide range of views. The work and outcomes of the review were guided by the views of people that have lived experience of the children’s social care system in the UK.