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In this commentary piece, Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, explores the use of children's care homes in England and the need for improved supports to prevent placement in children's home and to provide for the needs of children and young people who are placed in these homes. Longfield applauds "the ambition of the [Lancet Group Commission on…
"Orphanage volunteering and the industry that has emerged to support it have contributed to a system in Kenya and other parts of the world that creates a demand for institutions and children," writes Michelle Oliel of Stahili in this opinion piece for CNN. "The perfect 'buyers' are fee-paying voluntourists -- well-intentioned individuals who want to help. Preying on these good intentions, orphanages claim to provide care for 'orphans,' but in reality, these organizations are often sources of profit for sometimes unscrupulous operators who recruit children to orphanages and exploit them for…
In this opinion piece for the Standard, Fredrick Mutinda of Changing the Way We Care describes the negative impacts that institutionalization has on children and the efforts to reform the care system in Kenya. "Many governments, including Kenya, are making important strides in reforming national child protection and care systems," says Mutinda. "In 2017, Kenya passed a moratorium on the registration of any new orphanages. With the support of multiple partners, the government has set new policy directions for reducing reliance on orphanages, reunifying children with their families,…