Orphans into loving foster families in China

As you know, Care for Children supports care institutions (orphanages) across Asia to transition to family-based care, specifically foster care.  This means moving children out of the institution and placing them in local, loving foster families.

Chengdu Welfare Institution, one of Care for Children's long-term partners in China, has seen big changes in the way it operates. 

Based in one of the most important economic, cultural and communication centres of China, Care for Children started working with this care institution in 2001, at which point it knew nothing about foster care.  Thanks to Care for Children’s ongoing training and support, the institution has now developed one of the best models of family-based care for orphaned and abandoned children in China.

The institution is currently supporting over 200 children it has placed with families in the local community.  By taking part in Care for Children’s training, staff at the institution are now convinced that family-based care is much better for children than institutional care.

“It’s better for the child to be placed into families as it provides the child with a family and the sense of belonging. It also helps to build the child’s confidence.”  

“After the child was moved into the foster family, his school performance has greatly improved.”

With more and more children moved out of the institution and placed into local families, Chengdu Child Welfare Institution has repurposed its facilities accordingly to support children within the local community. 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 special education, rehabilitation, and independent living classes. 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. 

Once again, thank you for your support and staying connected with our work.

One of Care for Children's fundraisers has just got back from an inspiring visit to the project in Thailand.  This is his account of the work he saw:

Foster Carers Visit

"Two weeks ago today I was in Northwest Thailand, on a visit to two remarkable groups of foster carers who live in the beautiful countryside north of Chiang Mai. At the first village we came to we stopped at a foster carer’s house to visit a group comprising of five families who were each fostering at least one child from Chiang Mai Home for Boys. In another village we met a similar sized group of carers who had taken in children from Chiang Mai Home for Girls. The two houses were homely and clean, centring around large communal areas which illustrated well the occupants’ lifestyle priorities."

"Each day the groups of carers meet at the two houses, supporting each other, sharing difficulties and achievements, and allowing the younger children to socialise whilst others attend school together. In this environment the children being fostered appear to be flourishing; developing essential social skills and confidence as part of a group to complement the strong attachment to their foster parents. This community (in the truest sense of the word) is what has so impressed the Care for Children team. Despite the vast disparity of resources, we would suggest that this model of interdependence and support could be an example to western family placement programmes."

National Conference

"The day after we visited the families I was able to attend the Thailand National Foster Care Conference, hosted by Care for Children in Chiang Mai. Delegations from all 20 government-run care institutions in Thailand attended, and in the morning session those who had recently begun running family placement programmes shared their initial experiences and challenges. It was great to see those institutions with more mature programmes being there to guide and encourage their colleagues. What really struck me throughout the day was the enthusiasm and unity amongst our frontline colleagues. They seemed truly passionate about this national movement, which is already changing their country for the better."

"During the afternoon another meeting took place at which Care for Children’s founder, Dr Robert Glover, addressed key officials responsible for implementing Thailand’s family placement programme. Robert shared encouraging stories from his time working in China, before driving home the message that the future welfare of Thailand’s orphaned and abandoned children rests firmly in the hands of those present. Clearly inspired by this message, our hope is that these delegates will continue to approach the task of shifting Thailand’s care provision from an institutional to a family-based model with the same drive and determination they have so far shown."

As our projects in China and Thailand enter new phases, we will make sure that we continue to keep you updated on this important work.

Thank you so much for your support and for staying connected to our work - it really is appreciated!