In this document the problem of the ‘orphan myth’ is explored, where people assume these institutions, or ‘orphanages’, are there to support orphans, but a large percentage have a living parent. In addition, the factsheet details the impact of poverty, disability, discrimination, child trafficking, exploitation, abuse and neglect have on the amount of orphans globally. – Produced by Lumos

Throughout South East Asia we need to develop social services to help those families finding appropriate solutions instead of giving up their children. We need to strengthen families and to place higher value on keeping families together instead of investing in institutions.

This story comes from Cambodia, however, it reflects the real situations in many countries throughout SE Asia. We see in this story that the children take no part in expressing any opinion or making any decision for their own lives. This book speaks for children, expressing their opinions and feelings that we might take for granted or never listen to.

Residential institutions for children have many names around the world, including orphanages, children’s home and baby home. Certain institutions have the potential to cause health risks to brain development and increase the chances of neglect, abuse and exploitation and risk to long-term life chances. In this factsheet, Lumos details all possible risks and damage of institutionalization and the solution to the problem.

Based on research conducted in 2016 and 2017 this report estimates the full extent of the unregistered private children’s home industry in Thailand.

Existing under the radar and without government monitoring, these institutions are home to thousands of children in Thailand. Their very existence confirms the large gap that Thailand is yet to cross in order to implement the guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children.

Based on interviews with 605 children in December 2014 this report looks at the reasons why children entered 17 unregistered private children’s homes in Sangkhlaburi District.

The study also looked at the standards of care provided by the homes.

With 90% of the children confirming that they have at least one living parent and the majority identifying poverty or its consequences as the main reason they came to the home, this report found a huge gap between the current operating of these children’s homes and the good practice set out in the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children

This report is based on in-depth interviews with migrant children and parents, real estate and construction companies, government Ministries, and NGOs. It explores the challenges faced by children living in construction site camps, and suggests solutions that can be scaled to foster social responsibility within Thailand’s construction sector.

Children who cannot live with their parents should still grow up in a loving home and enjoy all their rights. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is so concerned that this does not happen that it has drawn up a set of Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. The Guidelines are intended to help everyone who is responsible for the care and wellbeing of children.

The Guidelines explain why it is necessary to make arrangements for some children to live away from their parents and which alternatives might be right for children in different situations.

It highlights implications for policy-making where national governments should provide leadership as well as examples of what is being done on the ground internationally.

Supporting and strengthening families to care for their own children can keep them from needing alternative care – both now and in the future. The Family Strengthening Handbook is an ACT project aimed at guiding practitioners on how best to strengthen families at risk of needing alternative care. This resource was born from studying the work of 10 different organizations doing family strengthening work in Thailand. The result is a comprehensive guide for how to strengthen families in vulnerable situations. It outlines some best practices from around Thailand that have proven to work in building the capacity of adults in order to improve outcomes for children.

We also offer a 3-day training in how to use this handbook in both English and Thai as well as a 5-day TOT for anyone wanting to be trained in how to equip others with this tool. Contact us for more information!

Gatekeeping involves making decisions about care in the best interests of children who are at risk of losing, or already without, adequate parental care. It is a systematic procedure to ensure that alternative care for children is used only when necessary and that the child receives the most suitable support to meet their individual needs. With millions of children denied their right to adequate care worldwide, gatekeeping is a key issue for any country – high, low or middle income, stable or fragile. Gatekeeping has evolved into a central issue for those within the child-care and child-protection sector, and for all responsible for implementing international standards for children’s rights, especially those contained within the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and those found in the Guidelines on the Alternative Care of Children, endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 2009.

Here’s what to look for to make sure your time overseas is genuinely spent making a difference:

Donors play a vital role in making this a reality and in influencing other stakeholders on the ground, especially those who are resistant to reform. This report provides donors with the information they need to make informed decisions about investments and funding in relation to the institutionalization of children, which is known to be harmful to their health, development and future life chances. It encourages donors to review funding procedures to ensure that they are strengthening families through reforming community-based services and not inadvertently funding institutional care.

Based on research conducted in 2016 and 2017 this report estimates the full extent of the unregistered private children’s home industry in Thailand.

Existing under the radar and without government monitoring, these institutions are home to thousands of children in Thailand. Their very existence confirms the large gap that Thailand is yet to cross in order to implement the guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children.

Based on interviews with 605 children in December 2014 this report looks at the reasons why children entered 17 unregistered private children’s homes in Sangkhlaburi District.

The study also looked at the standards of care provided by the homes.

With 90% of the children confirming that they have at least one living parent and the majority identifying poverty or its consequences as the main reason they came to the home, this report found a huge gap between the current operating of these children’s homes and the good practice set out in the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children

Supporting and strengthening families to care for their own children can keep them from needing alternative care – both now and in the future. The Family Strengthening Handbook is an ACT project aimed at guiding practitioners on how best to strengthen families at risk of needing alternative care. This resource was born from studying the work of 10 different organizations doing family strengthening work in Thailand. The result is a comprehensive guide for how to strengthen families in vulnerable situations. It outlines some best practices from around Thailand that have proven to work in building the capacity of adults in order to improve outcomes for children.

We also offer a 3-day training in how to use this handbook in both English and Thai as well as a 5-day TOT for anyone wanting to be trained in how to equip others with this tool. Contact us for more information!