In previous blogs a lot of mention is made of the orphanage industry: private individuals opening an ‘orphanage’, recruiting children and pocketing the money given by donors. This is a heinous practice and it must be stopped. However, the focus on this may have given the impression that privately-run institutions are the worst form of institutions around. If only that were true…
Continue reading “State-Run vs Private-Run Institutions”Tag: #FamiliesNotOrphanages
Children with Parents in ‘Orphanages’
Outrage is growing, as more people become aware of the fact that over 80% of children living in so-called orphanages have at least one – and often two – living parent. Even more so when they learn that many of these children were removed from their parents and put in an institution not to protect them, but to make money from their ‘orphan’ status.
The orphanage industry, which causes this situation, is a relatively recent phenomenon. But placing children who have parent willing and able to care for them in institutions is not at all a new thing. It reaches way back in history.
Continue reading “Children with Parents in ‘Orphanages’”The Real Cost of Institutionalisation
When you start talking about the need to move away from institutional childcare, towards family-based care, you are often confronted with the argument: ‘it is too expensive, we cannot afford to move way from institutions’. It is a very persistent myth that institutional childcare is the most efficient, cost-effective way to care for children without parental care.
Since these days the best way to convince anyone of your point of view is to come with a financial argument, let’s have a look at the real cost of institutionalisation, not just in the moment, but in the long run.
Continue reading “The Real Cost of Institutionalisation”Survival of the Fittest
In any institution I have visited, where children have lived for many years, in different countries across the world, I am told the same thing: ‘These children are badly behaved, rebellious, ungrateful, disrespectful and disobedient’. I am told this as if they are exceptional, particularly bad children. And I am asked to ‘make them behave better’.
It breaks my heart whenever I am told this, because the behaviour seen in these children is the natural and inevitable result of being raised without attention, affection, a chance to form attachments, proper stimulation and positive role models. As mentioned in the previous blog (which you find HERE), when essential basic needs are not met, brain development does not occur as it should and this causes problems. But also, very simply, there is no supervision or guidance for the children.
Continue reading “Survival of the Fittest”Podcast Abandonment: No Other Option
The second podcast in the series and the first introducing stories from real life. Today’s podcast contains two stories, both chosen to illustrate why parents might decide to abandon their children.
The next podcast will appear in 4 weeks.
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Introduction Podcast
Check out the podcasts to hear real life stories that bring the theoretical information from the blogs to life. A reminder that we are not talking about statistics but about children.
The first podcast ‘Introduction’ will give background information about how this podcast series came to be and what you can expect from it. After that every podcast will feature one or more stories surrounding the theme that is announced by its title.
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Don’t Take My Word for It
Recently, Lumos has held a major event in the US. Lumos is a London-based organisation that for the past 13 years has worked very hard and gained increasing momentum to achieve global deinstitutionalisation. And now they have released a video that was taken at that event.
In the summer of 2017, I had the privilege of attending Lumos’ ‘Introduction to Deinstitutionalisation’. For four days I was able to exchange experiences and have discussions with a variety of representatives of major international organisations involved in child protection and of several government bodies from across the world. As well as increasing my knowledge and understanding of various details of how to make sure deinstitutionalisation is done responsibly.
Continue reading “Don’t Take My Word for It”Reasons for Abandonment
In a later blog I will share with you more information about why children end up being abandoned and/or placed in institutions. While the reasons can be many, the bottom line is almost invariably that a mother is trying to give a child a better life or even is trying to save his or her life.
Before I find the opportunity to write that blog, however, I want to share this article with you, which gives some insight into one of these reasons:
Learning the Lesson and Providing Real Help: Indonesia
In the past days, the news has been full of accounts about the terrible earthquake and tsunami that hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on 28 September. A major disaster with a confirmed death toll of many hundreds and rising daily, with some people saying it may well reach thousands. Help will be needed for people to start to rebuild their lives. And many children will likely be separated from their parents and other relatives, either permanently or temporarily.
This brings back to mind the situation in Indonesia when a massive tsunami struck in December 2004. And it rings major warning bells: what happened in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami must not be repeated this time, for the sake of the children.
Continue reading “Learning the Lesson and Providing Real Help: Indonesia”The Danger of Voluntourism
It seems like such a good idea, like such a kind and generous thing to do, to go to a different country to spend time in an ‘orphanage’ giving your time and love to underprivileged children. It is almost always done with the best intentions and from a real desire to make a difference, to improve these children’s lives.
When you arrive, it really looks like you were the person they were waiting for all this time. A swarm of children runs to you, surrounds you, tries to hug you, or sit on your lap. The second-hand clothes that you brought look better than what the children are wearing. The extra food and treats you buy are accepted as manna from heaven. And when you leave there are many tears, on both sides. As you leave, while you are sad to leave the children behind, you are comforted by the thought that you clearly did make a real, positive, difference in these children’s lives. Unfortunately, all is not what it seems.
Continue reading “The Danger of Voluntourism”