Orphans into loving foster families in China

Mr. Qiao became a social worker because he wanted to help people. He just didn’t think those people would be children. 

“I used to care for the elderly before joining the Kunming Children’s Social Welfare Institute, so I felt like I transitioned from a son to a father. I remember asking myself, How can I become a good father?” 

He turned out to be a great father. In fact, he excelled in his work so much that he was promoted to be the director of the institution. 

“I realised that when I served the children even a little bit, they appreciated it and would give much more in return."

We’ve known Qiao for over a decade now, and we are consistently encouraged by his work. 

“Our goal is always to provide all the children with a happy life and support the foster parents, so they can enjoy their work. This has been my purpose from the very beginning.”

He was quick to recognise the benefits of foster parents and has become an advocate for a community-centred approach to childcare. 

“One of our project sites is in Luquan (Yunnan Province), where a community of foster parents looks after the orphans together. It has become a culture of raising children in the community, and it has been awarded as a model of best practice in foster care nationwide.”

Qiao has seen the way the families have built even stronger bonds with their community through their shared commitment to providing homes for children.

“They support each other, learn from each other, and discuss openly what they need to improve together. Their practice and action of kindness also inspired other surrounding villages. More and more families are joining them to foster children!”

In addition, Qiao has seen the way foster care is able to address a child’s needs for love and security and help that child grow into a healthy adult.

“I think what they [foster families] do the best is they have helped the children grow up holistically, and the children in Luquan are more complete psychologically."

We have hope for the future of orphan care in China because of people like Qiao. His dedication to finding the best way to support orphans in China is what will move that system forward. 

“China’s success is not related to de-institutionalisation [removing orphanages] but remodelling their services to meet the needs of the children they serve."

Your support helps train and equip individuals, like Qiao, who are working to change the lives of children every day. Thank you for your support.

Care for Children is supporting Social Welfare Institutions (orphanages) across China to transition to community-based care.  This means expanding their services to support children and families in the surrounding communities. The first step is supporting children who have been placed in foster families, as well as those who remain in the institution. The next step is to open up their services to all children and their families in the community, particularly those who are vulnerable and at risk of being abandoned. 

Chengdu Social Welfare Institution in Sichuan Province has developed one of the best models of community-based care across China. With more and more children moved out of the institution and placed into local families, in 2011 the institution started repurposing its facilities accordingly. They have established a kindergarten within the institution with over 100 children. Not only does it provide much needed early childhood education but it also allows children within the institution to mix with children in the community.  

They have also redirected their funds and resources to build community resource centres within those communities where the majority of children have been placed. As well as a base for the family placement workers, from where they can manage their caseload of children, here children can access a variety of services such as rehabilitation, independent living classes, and special education.  

Before 2010, the institution was providing special education to roughly 20% of children with additional needs in the surrounding communities. By encouraging foster mothers to become special education teachers and forming mother-teacher teams, they are proud to report that all children with additional needs are now receiving special education.  

To support children, especially those with disabilities, into independence, the institution has also developed vocational skills training programme. They currently offer bakery training and plan to develop courses in soap making, pottery and farming. One of the former children at the institution – who went on to work for the bakery department of the Shanghai Shangri-la hotel – has even returned to help with the teaching. 

Parents also have access to training such as positive communication with children and how to care for children with disabilities. As well as improving the success of family placements, it is hoped that over time the community resource centres will result in less children being abandoned in the first place.     

Your support of Care for Children helped start all of this. Because of you, Chengdu Social Welfare Institution  was able to begin a foster care programme that both changed the lives of the children placed in foster homes and gave its staff the time and energy to create systemic change. Thank you for your generosity.