Care Reforms Program
Care reform is vital for ensuring that children grow up in safe, nurturing families and communities, where their emotional, social, and physical well-being can thrive. We focus on three pillars which include; Family preservation and protection from separation, Alternative care and transitioning of institutional care. We use the case management approach towards ensuring that children in residential care are placed or reintegrated into family-based or community-based care.
Transformation of Residential Institutions
To support and facilitate the CCIs to transition in collaboration with the DCS we provide the following services:
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Assessment and initial engagement with the CCIs. This is done through CCI needs assessments, stakeholders’ engagement and legal and policy alignment.
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Developing a tailored transition plan through collaborative planning, program designing.
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Capacity building of CCI staff-Training and mentorship and infrastructure support.
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Implementation of the transition plans with support from the key government and non-state stakeholders.
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Community and family engagement during the transition process for accountability.
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Development of sustainability strategies to diversified funding and long-term partnership with key stakeholders
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Evaluation and utilisation of FCRM strategy to measure the success of the process and lessons learned.
Care reform strategy
Care reform strategy is to ensure that every child grows up in a safe, nurturing, and family-based environment where their rights and well-being are fully protected and supported. To archive this model, we ensure that:
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Strengthening families through economic empowerment, parenting support, and community-based interventions to address the root causes of child separation.
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Reducing reliance on orphanages and other institutional settings by promoting family-based care alternatives, such as foster care, kinship care, and adoption.
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Safely reuniting children who are in institutional care with their biological families or placing them in alternative family care, supported by case management and follow-up.
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Building robust legal, social, and community systems that prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation while ensuring children’s voices are heard and their best interests are prioritized.
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Focusing on children's emotional, social, educational, and spiritual needs to ensure they grow into well-rounded individuals within supportive family environments.
Family Preservation and Prevention of Separation
Preventing the separation of children from their families is a fundamental aspect of care reform. Efforts to preserve families should include:
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Driving theory of change towards family-based care over institutional care through awareness creation
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Offering a range of support services to families, such as counselling, parenting education, financial assistance, and access to healthcare, to address the root causes of family separation.
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Household economic strengthening.
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Strengthening community-based support systems to provide families with local resources and networks that can help them stay together.
Advocating for Alternative family care
Advocating for alternative family care is essential because it prioritizes the well-being and holistic development of children who cannot live with their biological families. Here are key reasons to support this approach: Promotes the Child's Best Interests, Respects Children's Rights, Strengthens Community Ties, Cost-Effectiveness, Focus on Preventive Care, Encourages Social Integration and Aligns with Global Best Practices. To realise this, we focus on:
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Kinship Care: Prioritizing kinship care arrangements where children are placed with extended family members, ensuring they maintain familial bonds and a sense of continuity.
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Foster Care: Developing a robust foster care system with well-trained foster parents who can provide a stable, loving environment for children temporarily unable to stay with their families.
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Support for Reunification: Providing ongoing support to families working towards reunification, including counselling, parenting support, and assistance with reintegration challenges.
Our commitment to care reforms is driven by the belief that every child deserves a safe, supportive, and loving environment. By implementing these reforms and prioritizing family preservation and alternative care support, we aim to create a system that puts the well-being of children at the forefront. Through comprehensive, child-centered care strategies, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.