Journey of Transition Toolkit

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Gaining Internal Buy-In

Solidifying buy-in of internal stakeholders early in the process will allow for a smoother transition. Internal stakeholders may include national and international executive leadership, founders, board members, or key staff. It is important for an organization’s internal stakeholders to first understand the reasons why there is a global shift away from the use of residential care for children.

Driving this shift is academic evidence from around the world that has found children cared for within families are more likely to thrive than those in residential care. Nurturing family environments are associated with positive outcomes for children’s growth and development. It is important for internal stakeholders to first understand these reasons before they will fully support a transition.

Promoting Family Care

Understanding the importance of family-based care is vital for building confidence and momentum for a transition. A solid foundation of knowledge on the reasons why transitioning to family-based care is important, specifically the importance of this change for the well-being of children, will ensure a strong commitment to change.

It is vital that not only a few individuals are aware of the importance of family for children, but that awareness is raised among all stakeholders. The awareness raising process is a continual effort that happens throughout a transition. If stakeholders do not understand the reasons behind transition, specifically the importance of family care and the risks of residential care, they will most likely hold on to their traditional views and practices, withdrawing themselves from the changes that the transition process brings about. When raising awareness among stakeholders it is important to try using a variety of formats and messages to communicate and educate, as every individual has different styles of learning and assimilating information. Additionally, a variety of tools and resources will diversify the message, helping to gain understanding and buy-in of stakeholders.

Rethinking Orphan Care: An Introduction to Family Care Introduces the limitations of orphanages, the importance of caring for children in families, and how to shift support to strengthen families, increase alternative family care options, and empower communities. (Faith to Action Initiative)

Children, Orphanages, and Families: A Summary of Research to Help Guide Faith-Based Action Provides an overview of a range of studies and findings that can inform approaches to caring for children who have been separated from parental care, while also providing examples, evidence, and research on the limitations of orphanages and importance of family care. (Faith to Action Initiative)

Changing Mindsets and Practice: Engaging Christian Faith-Based Actors in Deinstitutionalisation and Child Welfare Systems Reforms Provides insight into what ‘deinstitutionalization’ might look like and what steps and processes and people might be involved. Contains a brief overview of the technical stages and guidance through the process of achieving buy-in. (ACCI Relief)

Kinnected Info Pack Provides background to help faith-based organizations understand the issues with residential care and the potential solutions offered in family-based care. (ACCI Relief)

Institutionalization and deinstitutionalization of children: the Executive Summary from a Lancet Group Commission Provides essential information on both the global scale of institutionalization and its physical, social, and mental health consequences. It also presents a pragmatic roadmap for carefully managed change in the work of deinstitutionalization. (The Lancet)

Faith to Action Podcast: Introduction to Family Care This podcast highlights key orphaned and vulnerable children statistics, reasons for placement in orphanages, findings on the importance of family and limitations of orphanages, and highlights Faith to Action resources for further information. (Faith to Action)

Reimagine Orphan Care Addresses the historical nature of engaging orphaned and vulnerable children and challenges the traditional view of orphanages with a better way to care for children in their own families. (The Archibald Project and Global Child Advocates)

A World Without Orphans Documentary Features discussions with people on the front lines of orphan care meant to encourage the Church to dialogue about its role in the pursuit of a world without orphans. (World Without Orphans)

The Love You Give Showcases former volunteers to delve into the complicated nature of volunteering in orphanages and the reality of children in orphanages having living parents and family members. (The Love You Give)

Children Need Families Not Orphanages Illustrates the limitations of orphanages and makes the case that more can be done to support families to care for their children, eliminating the use of institutional care. (Lumos)

Global Institutions Are Not the Answer Offers the video and audio stories of caring for children in families from a Christian perspective. (Bethany Christian Services)

Lost Kites A documentary that follows three abandoned kids braving their way, and calls for family restoration. Designed to engage congregations and members of the public in family-based care for orphaned and vulnerable children.

The Orphan Myth: Keeping Families Together A special documentary episode of To the Contrary explores the trend away from orphanages and toward family reunification. (PBS’s To the Contrary)

We All Need Families at the End of the Day – Maureen Tells the story of a young girl who was separated from her family and sent to live in a children’s home, and her desire to reunite with her grandparents. Features interviews with experts, including those who have lived in children’s homes, and highlights the efforts of care reform initiatives to deinstitutionalize children in Kenya. (Better Care Network)

As Many as the Stars: A Story of Change for the Children of China The story of how one man moved with his wife and six young children from the UK to China to follow God’s call. Robert Glover was a social worker in the East of England who went on to radically transform the Chinese government’s policy on care welfare. In conversations with the Chinese government Robert fought to show that family-based fostering and adoption was a better alternative to the system of state-sponsored orphanages. (Robert Glover)

Children Belong in Families For too long, the world’s lonely and vulnerable children have been forgotten and ignored. Millions of children are abandoned for a life on the streets or live with unsafe families or in soulless institutions. Now the tide is turning. Pioneers like Mick Pease and his remarkable charity SFAC lead a global movement for change. This insightful and uplifting book takes us on a journey that spans three decades and five continents. (Mick Pease)

First Sand then Seas The true story of a young, timid, office assistant suddenly turned documentarist, who is thrown into a 22 nation journey to help orphans. It’s the story of a once-shy girl who discovers a burning heart for God, and what started as a small step of faith led to risks, pain, and joys unimaginable. (Casey Walker)

How (Not) to Start an Orphanage by a Woman Who Did When Tara first arrived in Cambodia to join a tour group in 2005 she was taken to visit a small orphanage in Battambang. The children were living in extreme poverty, and Tara was determined to raise money to help them. Two years later, after fundraising in Australia, Tara returned to Battambang only to discover that the same children were in deep trouble. Her spontaneous response was to find them a new, safe, home. (Tara Winkler)

My Long Journey Back Home This memoir is an inspiring example of resiliency in action. Emmanuel’s childhood was brutally disrupted by the civil war in Sierra Leone. After being ripped away from his loving family, he survived life on the streets and was eventually enrolled in an orphanage. Read to discover how he used his experiences to transform his life and the lives of countless vulnerable children and families. (Emmanuel Nabieu)

Orphan Justice: How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting Christians are clearly called to care for orphans, a group so close to the heart of Jesus. In reality, most of the 153 million orphaned and vulnerable children in the world do not need to be adopted, and not everyone needs to become an adoptive parent. However, there are other very important ways to help beyond adoption. Indeed, caring for orphaned and vulnerable children requires us to care about related issues from child trafficking and HIV/AIDS to racism and poverty. (Johnny Carr)

The Urban Halo The story of one family’s time in a Cambodian slum, establishing an innovative ministry caring for over a thousand orphans. Craig left a high-flying job to move to Cambodia and set up home with his wife in the Phnom Penh slums. As the poor became their neighbors and their friends, a distinctive ministry began to emerge. Project HALO has transformed the lives of hundreds of children affected by AIDS, and empowered the poor to care for their own orphans. (Craig Greenfield)

In-depth Resources Explores the situation of children living in orphanages, some of the factors contributing to their placement there, and the grave consequences this can pose for them emotionally, socially, and psychologically.

Global Statistics

Estimates suggest that over 5.4 million children around the world are living in residential care (including orphanages, large-scale institutions, small group homes, and children’s villages). Experts believe this number is a low estimate due to the large number of residential care facilities that operate outside country registration systems, and the lack of data systems to accurately track the number of children living in care.

However, most of the children living in residential care are not orphans. Children are separated from family care for many reasons. Poverty and lack of access to education or basic necessities are often cited among the most common reasons for placing children in residential care. Other causes include abuse and neglect, disability (either children or parents), natural disaster, or conflict. While parental death is also a cause of separation, most figures estimate that up to 90 percent of children living in residential care have at least one living parent. In different regions of the world particular factors are at play. For example, in Eastern Europe as many as 60 percent of children in institutional care have disabilities, while in some regions of Africa HIV and AIDS have led to a significant increase in the use of residential care.

On Understanding Orphan Statistics Presents helpful information on how to understand statistics related to children in residential care and other alternatives. (Christian Alliance for Orphans)

Fact Sheet 1: Children in Institutions – Global Figures and Fact Sheet 2: Children in Institutions – The Risks Offers quick views of the global figures about children in residential care and the risks that they face. (Lumos)

Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity Includes the demographics that compel the U.S. Government Interagency commitment to children in adversity. (USAID)

The State of the World’s Children Offers statistics on the situation of children around the world. The digital report is a crowd-sourced compilation of stories and videos and includes an interactive platform that maps innovations in countries all over the world. (UNICEF)

Better Care Network Search for relevant social and demographic data or situational analysis by Region/Country.

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