Learnings #1: Positive Parenting and Care Reform in Kenya
Global evidence shows that family strengthening programs increase parent and caregiver knowledge, self-confidence and competencies around parenting, resulting in improvements for children and families. Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) Kenya is supporting families who are at risk of separation and those who have been reunited with their children by helping parents or primary caregivers access a package of family strengthening support via direct contact and referrals to existing sources of support. Positive parenting programs are an important part of this package and are provided together with training in household finance, access to household economic strengthening opportunities and referrals to other critical services such as child protection and disability support and helping families under stress feel supported and part of their local community. This brief describes the program and interventions.
Learnings #2: Promoting Positive Caregiving for Children at Risk of Separation or in the Process of Reintegration in Kenya
CTWWC Kenya is working with four local non-governmental and faith-based organizations in the western part of Kenya and on the coast to strengthen family-based care for children with an aim to prevent child-family separation and increase family-based alternatives for those that are separated. The support received by families is largely provided by community-level workforce, including skilled and trusted volunteers who work directly with families to understand the challenges that they face and the strengths upon which they can build. This brief describes the family strengthening approach and the people who work with families and children. It shares reflections from facilitators of parenting sessions and the caregivers themselves.
Learnings #3: Family Strengthening and Care Reform in Kenya
Kenyan families are facing many of the common challenges known to increase the risk of family separation globally: poverty, living with a disability and violence. In response, CTWWC Kenya took a cross-cutting approach to family strengthening as part of its broader care reform work. The approach targets families who are at risk of, but not yet separated, families providing family-based alternative care such as kinship care, Kafaalah or foster care; and families who are already separated and are preparing for reunification or are in the process of reintegration to prevent separation. This brief summarizes the original design of Changing the Way We Care’s family strengthening approach, the lessons learned during implementation and the adaptations that CTWWC is making to maximize the impact of its family strengthening work.