Many people consider institutionalisation of children not ideal, but still preferable to the alternatives. This is very unfortunate, and ultimately dangerous. Because it is one of the things that leads to institutionalisation. The reason why many people think institutionalisation is not so bad, is because they think that children’s basic needs are covered when they are put in an institution: they get food, clothes, shelter, they can wash themselves and most of the time they will get education too. The problem is that this covers only half of the basic needs. It covers what I tend to call the child’s practical needs, but not all of their physical and practically none of their psychological needs, which are just as urgent.
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