One of the most informative and compelling ways to learn about the process of transitioning to family care is through the experiences of and lessons learned by other organizations. The following case studies are real life examples of organizations who have made this transition, highlighting various stages and a variety of contexts. These examples demonstrate that successful transition is possible even within very different contexts and circumstances.

EASTERN AFRICA

Bridges Safehouse Based out of Eastern Africa, Bridges Safehouse was able to navigate the complexities of scaling up their family-based programs while phasing out residential care while maintaining funding along the way. Highlights the complexities of ex-patriate founders, a transition to local leadership, and overcoming founder interference in the transition process.

GUATEMALA

Buckner Case Study Buckner International launched a residential program for young adults who had aged out of the orphanage system. In time, they opened six other residential programs for children and teens. However, Buckner staff knew that many of the children in their facilities had family members who might be able to care for them. This led Buckner to rethink their own programming and ultimately led to a full transition to community-based family care.

Sky Ministries Sky Ministries began an orphanage in response to a humanitarian crisis after a series of natural disasters and civil war leaving many orphans in its wake. With pressure from the government and funding difficulties from a long-standing sponsorship program, Sky Ministries sought new ways to care for children in their own families while increasing their educational programs to strengthen families in the community and prevent separation from occurring.

Story International Story International began supporting residential care in a rural community in Guatemala. After understanding the benefits of family-based care, they completely transitioned their services to pioneer the province’s first foster care program, a family-strengthening program, and other community-based interventions.

Writing a New Story in Guatemala Alycia Pinizzotto, Founder of Story International, shares her journey of transitioning away from supporting residential care to forming a pioneering organization that leads the way in foster care and family preservation efforts. (ThinkOrphan Podcast)

HAITI

Heartline Case Study Heartline Ministries was initially founded as a short-term residential care facility that processed adoptions to North America. However, children were staying in the residential care facility longer than intended. It became clear to the staff that the orphanage model was not optimal for children and that adoption was actually unnecessary for most families in the community. Heartline Ministries closed the children’s home, expanded programs aimed at supporting vulnerable families, and transitioned leadership to national staff.

Transitioning from Orphanages to Families in Haiti This podcast interview of Spencer Reeves, Executive Director of Child Hope International, highlights the way that transition from residential care has taken place in Haiti. Considering the specific challenges of a tumultuous political and societal climate, Spencer walks through the way they have responded to trauma and aid dependency to foster resilience in families. (ThinkOrphan Podcast)

HONDURAS

Identity Mission The founders of Identity Mission began their work by providing resources and services to orphanages throughout Honduras. After realizing the need for a change in the way children were being cared for because of the limitations and risks of orphanages, Identity Mission was founded to work with local churches in bringing foster care to Honduras by collaborating with the government.

KENYA

Good Life Orphanage Good Life Orphanage first started as a community-based organization in the Kilifi South region of Kenya. Over the years, it grew into a complex of six houses, offices, and recreational areas. Good Life’s encounter with care reform initiated during meetings organized by the Department of Child Services. After learning about reintegration and how to support families that receive children with disabilities, Good Life now supports many more individuals than before.

Majaoni Rescuers This case story illustrates the transition process of Majaoni Rescuers, a community-based organization in Mombasa County, Kenya, including the challenges and the success factors; recognizing that each transition is an individual process with different starting points, different dynamics and different evolutions.

LESOTHO

Care Reform in Lesotho This podcast highlights Trust for Africa’s work in Lesotho that has gone beyond their own organization and now supports other organizations to transition to family-based care. (Think Orphan Podcast)

MOLDOVA

Insights from Moldova: Closing of a Residential Institution Explains the closing of a residential care facility for children with disabilities. The video shares several insights including the importance of engaging staff, gatekeeping, inclusive education services, role of financial assessments to make the case for reintegration, and more. (Changing the Way We Care)

MEXICO

Two Transition Stories from Different Catholic Orphanages in Mexico: These two stories (available in English and Spanish) go through the different ways proponents of transition need to wade through the emotional attachments of caregivers and staff to ensure that children are protected throughout the transition process. Both stories highlight the resourcefulness and faithfulness of the sisters that walk through the entire transition process.

SIERRA LEONE

Child Rescue Center and Helping Children Worldwide: The Child Rescue Center began as a faith-based residential children’s home with 40 children rescued from the streets during the last two years of a brutal 10-year civil war. The director of the center, as a careleaver, began to question the model which led to a robust strategy to transition into a reintegration center.

SOUTH AFRICA

Beautiful Gate Case Study Beautiful Gate began as a children’s home for children living on the streets. Later, a second location was opened in a neighboring township as a hospice for children dying of HIV/AIDS. Over time, the staff and founders had experiences that made them question their model of care due in large part to the expressed desire of children to be with their birth families. After fully transitioning all children into family-based care, the organization now continues to work with children and families through community-based services.

UGANDA

Malaika Babies Home Uganda Malaika Babies Home was a residential transition center run by Child’s i Foundation. It was designed to provide high quality temporary care to abandoned babies while family tracing, reintegration or adoption efforts took place. After realizing the full cost of running even a small residential program, and witnessing first-hand the developmental gains made by children once placed in foster care, Child’s i Foundation made a decision to fully transition their residential care program.

Tororo District Transformation Child’s i Foundation successfully transitioned their residential programs before deciding to expand their vision and seek to bring about care reform to the entire district of Tororo, Uganda. Partnering with the district level government and several other residential centers, Child’s i Foundation carried out an extensive analysis and assessment of the Tororo region and then provided technical support and guidance to bring many of the residential care services in the region to transition from residential care to other types of family and community-based services.

ZAMBIA

Alliance for Children Everywhere Zambia Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) Zambia is a US-funded organization that transitioned from providing residential care in Zambia to pioneering family-based care, including foster care, and supporting other residential care service providers to transition. With important links to the Zambian government, ACE Zambia has been a key actor in supporting the development of policies, programs and guidelines that are now utilized across the country.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATIONS

Lighthouse Children’s Village Lighthouse Children’s Village was originally established as a privately-run and privately-funded residential care institution. Evidence of intentional child rights violations culminated in the reporting of abuse and exploitation to authorities, the closure of the institution, transfer of children into small group homes within the community as a measure of protection from the directors, and finally placement into family care settings.

Firefly Orphanage Firefly’s principal donor initiated awareness raising efforts to introduce Firefly’s director to the concept of family-based care. This sparked a lengthy and complex process of deliberation and transition that resulted in the reintegration of children into families and communities, the closure of the institution, and the transition of services family and community-based programming.

Lessons Learned when Transitioning to Family Care This podcast features Randy Daniels, Vice President Government Relations at Buckner International, as he reflects on a transition to family care experience and lessons learned on an organizational and community-based level. (Faith to Action International)

Replicable Models for Transition to Family-Based Care Features six case studies of organizations that have pioneered transitions from residential to family-based care that exemplify commonalities such as engagement of local churches and government, the need for well-trained professionals, investment in strengthening families, and effective assessment and case follow-up. Watch the webinar here. (Christian Alliance for Orphans)