During the Immersive Simulation Lab: Family-Based Care Conference in February, one of the participants made an interesting remark, one that I feel is worth looking into more closely. He was a representative of a major NGO and said that when families were offered support in order to make family reintegration possible, there should be a time limit on the support offered.
Continue reading “Should There Be a Time-Limit on Family Support?”Tag: #familyreintegration
Own Family, Foster Family, Group Home
When you are moving towards family-based alternative care, the above should be your priority of ranking for placement of children. Individual assessment has to be done for every child to determine what is best in her case. However, through the whole process the thought needs to be: is there any way to return the child to her family safely, if not, can she be placed in foster care, if not, is she better off in a small group home or in a supported living placement (depending on her age and ability). In that order.
Continue reading “Own Family, Foster Family, Group Home”Individual Assessments: Why?
When it comes to deciding what kind of placement is best for a child – no matter whether it is for a child who is moved out of an institution, or for a child who is no longer able to live with his family – individual assessments are essential. Without very detailed information about many aspects of the child’s life, experiences, development and feelings, there is no hope of determining what is in the child’s best interest.
Continue reading “Individual Assessments: Why?”Do Not Rush Deinstitutionalisation
Even though we are all in a hurry to put an end to the institutionalisation of children, we cannot afford to rush the process of deinstitutionalisation. In a previous blog (HERE), I mentioned the dangers of time pressure on the deinstitutionalisation process at the national and international level. In today’s blog, I want to address the dangers of rushing the process at the level of the individual institution, and how hard it is to resist the temptation to give in to the push to go faster.
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