Leaving Alternative Care and Reintegration

It is important to support children who are preparing to leave care. This includes helping young people as they ‘age out’ of the care system and transition to independent living, as well as children planning to return home and reintegrate with their families. In either case, leaving care should be a gradual and supervised process that involves careful preparation and follow-up support to children and families.

The transition from alternative care to independent living can be challenging for young people. While some departures from care may be well planned, others may be sudden or unexpected, leaving young people emotionally and financially ill-equipped to cope with change. Without adequate preparation for leaving care and support during the aftercare phase, young people may face risks such as long-term unemployment, substance abuse, involvement in criminal activities and homelessness. Studies indicate that the biggest barriers to transitioning children out of care includes the absence of supportive relationships, educational challenges, housing instability and economic challenges (unemployment).

Reducing these risks involves working with children to plan for life after care and adulthood– including helping them to determine the most appropriate living environment, develop necessary life, financial management and job skills, and ensure that they have a reliable support system in place. Once children leave care, they should be encouraged to maintain contact with their previous care givers and friends, have access to basic services and quality housing with financial assistance, and be supported to follow educational, vocational and employment opportunities. Above all, evidence indicates that young people who benefit from gradual, extended and supported transitions from care have better outcomes than those who leave early and abruptly.

Girls and boys who leave care to return home can also benefit from a gradual process of reintegration with their families – both before and after the event. Initially this should involve a comprehensive assessment of whether the problems that led to family separation (such as poverty or social problems) have been adequately resolved, and whether a return home is in a child’s best interests. If so, the child, family and alternative caregivers should be supported to prepare and plan for reintegration – which may involve increasing the frequency and duration of children’s family visits before the final return, helping to build parenting skills, assessing families’ financial, practical and emotional support needs and developing a care plan to address them.

Once children are reunited with their families, ongoing support and supervision can play a critical role in ensuring that reintegration is lasting. For example social or community workers can provide counselling support, facilitate families’ access to social protection benefits and make sure that children have the academic support required to catch up at a new school. In some cases, children’s extended family and the broader community can also be encouraged to provide emotional or practical support.

This section contains literature on children leaving alternative care in non-emergency settings. This includes lessons learned and best practices regarding family reintegration, as well as guidance for supporting young people as they leave the care system and transition to independent living.

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Situational Analysis of Care Reform in the Republic of Moldova

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Dec 2021

This comprehensive situational analysis was comprised of seven unique pieces of research, conducted by individual researchers, research firms and CTWWC, and in close coordination the Government of Moldova. The research findings were presented to and validated during a process in which more than 140 participants representing 96 government bodies and NGOs participated in July 2021. All research is available in Romanian and English.

Ruta de coordinación para la derivación y seguimiento de casos de nna en proceso de reunificación y reintegración entre hogar de primera infancia zacapa de sbs, iniciativa “Cambiando la Forma en que Cuidamos” (CTWWC) y sede Departamental SBS en Zacapa

Changing the Way We Care and SBS Departmental Headquarters in Zacapa, 29 Nov 2021

Esta ruta fue aprobada por la Secretaría de Bienestar Social para ser utilizada en Zacapa por los trabajadores sociales y psicólogas que están involucrados en el proceso de manejo de caso para la reintegración de los niños y niñas del cuidado residencial hacia el cuidado familiar. Esta diseñada para apoyar la celeridad de los procesos y atención a casos.

Policy Instrument Choice Under Globalization: Do authoritarian states choose differently?

Olga Ulybina, 26 Nov 2021

The paper presents new data on childcare deinstitutionalization policies in 15 ex-Soviet countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The data suggest significant convergence among countries in the adoption of both deinstitutionalization policy ‘ends’ and ‘means’, despite drastic differences in political regimes.

Lessons from the Children in Families Plus Pilot - Volume 1: A Collective, Holistic Approach to Reintegrate Children in Residential Facilities to Family Care

Children in Families (CIF) Technical Working Group, 01 Nov 2021

The CIF+ pilot is a collaborative, locally led, intensive effort with the main aim to reintegrate 200 children from Child Care Facilities (CCFs) in Lusaka district, into families over a period of three years (2019-2021).

Lessons from the Children in Families Plus Pilot - Volume 2: A Collective, Holistic Approach to Reintegrate Children in Residential Facilities to Family Care

Children in Families (CIF) Technical Working Group, 01 Nov 2021

Building on the CIF+ Learning Brief Vol 1.pdf, Volume 2 draws from CIF+ partner programming experience, achievements and lessons learned. This document outlines lessons for stakeholders that are interested in child reintegration efforts and highlights examples of the pilot as it works to support children and families in Zambia.

Reforma sistemului de îngrijire în Republica Moldova

Changing the Way We Care, 27 Oct 2021

În 2021, Changing the Way We Care a lansat o analiză situațională a sistemului de îngrijire a copilului în Republica Moldova. Rezultatul acestei analize sunt 8 rapoarte bazate pe cercetări ample ale partenerilor CTWWC: Copil, Comunitate, Familie (CCF) Moldova, Keystone Human Services International, Moldova și Parteneriate pentru fiecare copil (P4EC). Aceste rapoarte oferă o imagine de ansamblu a situației copiilor vulnerabili și a familiilor acestora din Moldova, atât în contextul dezinstituționalizării, cât și al prevenirii plasării în instituții rezidențiale.

Raport 5: Cunoștințe, atitudini, practici privind reintegrarea copiilor dezinstituționalizați în familii și prevenirea separării copiilor din familii vulnerabile

Changing the Way We Care, 27 Oct 2021

Scopul studiului este de a elabora o serie de recomandări practice concrete pentru
schimbarea cunoștințelor, atitudinilor și practicilor grupurilor țintă incluse în cercetare în
vederea eliminării barierelor existente în procesul de reintegrare a copiilor
dezinstituționalizați și a prevenirii separării de părinți a copiilor din familii vulnerabile prin
evaluarea și analiza nivelului de cunoștințe, atitudini și practici în domeniul reintegrării
familiale a copiilor separați și prevenirii riscurilor de separare.

Prezentare generală

Raport 6: Analiza rapoartelor de cercetare cu privire la reintegrarea copiilor din instituțiile rezidențiale Din republica moldova

Changing the Way We Care, 27 Oct 2021

Scopul studiului este de a identifica o serie de informații relevante cu privire la factorii
de succes și cei de risc în procesul de reintegrare familială, necesare pentru a formula
recomandări care să contribuie la decizii bazate pe probe în îmbunătățirea acestui
proces, prin prisma inițiativei CTWWC.

Prezentare generală

Case Management Procedures for Reunification and Reintegration of Children and Adolescents into Family and Community-based Care

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Oct 2021

Case Management Procedures for Reunification and Reintegration of Children and Adolescents into Family and Community-based Care was developed together with Secretary of Social Welfare (SBS), the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (PNA), Guatemala’s Attorney General (PGN), the Judicial Branch (OJ), the National Council of Adoptions (CNA), ASOCRIGUA and Hogar Aldeas de Esperanza. It was informed by Changing the Way We Care’s work in Kenya on the Caseworker’s Guidebook: Case Management for Reintegration of Children into Family or Community-Based Care, adapted to the Guatemalan context.

Caseworker's Handbook: Case Management for Reintegration of Children into Family- or Community-Based Care

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Oct 2021

This Handbook is a summarized, simplified version of the Case Worker’s Guidebook for Case Management for Reintegration of Children/Young Adults into Family- or Community-Based Care. It provides an overview of the principles and practices of case management for reunification and placement of children/young adults outside of parental care (e.g., street-connected children/young adults or from Charitable Children’s Institutions and Statutory Children’s Institutions) into family- and community-based care, up until sustainable reintegration is achieved. The Handbook aims to provide an easy and quick reference to critical information and “how to” about case management for reintegration.