Cooperation, Not Competition

Over recent weeks and months, several initiatives have been launched to bring together experts in the fields of child protection and alternative care reform. The aim of these global workgroups or committees is to try to get past the current practice of many people/organisations working in parallel in countries, with a similar aim but different approaches. Something that is both inefficient and expensive. Plus it creates a lot of confusion. Getting past this and trying to develop a common approach and increased cooperation is a great, and important, goal. Though unfortunately not one that is within sight just yet.

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Learning to Live Independently

Last week, the blog explained the difference between real community-based care and children who are simply raised in a building that is located within the community. This week, I want to explain why the difference is so important. It has everything to do with how children normally gradually are prepared for living as independent adults.

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Community-Based Care

The need for family-based and community-based alternative care has been mentioned often in these blogs. Many decades of research has shown that children do much better when they grow up in a family and as part of a community. However, it is important to understand what community-based care really means because too often there is a misunderstanding about this, with harmful effects on the child.

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