Loving families for orphans in Thailand

Dear friend,

We’re excited to share the latest updates on our work in Thailand, where we’ve been making strides in our mission to move children out of institutions and into loving family homes.

Translating "My Family" Materials: Our Thai team has been hard at work translating training materials for "My Family," our new digital training tool we plan to trial in Thailand. This has been both an enjoyable and challenging process as we carefully select terminology that is not only accurate but also culturally appropriate. While tools like Google Translate and ChatGPT can offer quick translations, our team is dedicated to ensuring that the language we use is professional, easily understood, and resonates with the communities we serve.

Focus on Khon Kaen: This year, we’ve concentrated our training and coaching efforts in north-eastern Thailand, particularly in Khon Kaen. We’re working closely with child welfare homes and shelters for children and families to develop practices that prioritize family-based care. It’s crucial that these institutions collaborate to create clear, permanent care plans for the children. When children cannot return to their birth families, we are actively seeking local families to step in and provide the care they need.

Empowering Family Carers: We’ve also had numerous opportunities to train family carers and the children in their care alongside the staff from child welfare homes and shelters. These training sessions have become valuable spaces for family carers to come together, share experiences, and learn from each other. The encouragement and support they receive in these sessions are vital for their ongoing commitment to providing loving homes for vulnerable children.

Collaborative Efforts in Khon Kaen: Our work in Khon Kaen is part of a collaborative effort with two other like-minded NGOs. Initially, we planned to work across four different regions, but this approach spread our resources too thin. We decided to focus on Khon Kaen because of the strong support and buy-in from our government partners, including the child welfare homes and surrounding shelters. This focused approach has allowed us to make a more significant impact in the region.

Thank you for your continued support. Your contributions are helping us create a brighter future for children in Thailand, ensuring they grow up in safe, nurturing families.

We're excited to share news about a recent policy change in Thailand aimed at enhancing the welfare of vulnerable children. The Thai government has introduced a new initiative encouraging each Shelter for Children and Families (SCF) to recruit at least two foster families who can provide alternative care to orphans and vulnerable children. This policy shift emphasizes the country's transition towards a family-based care model, ensuring children in need receive love, stability, and personalized care within family environments rather than institutional settings.

With 77 SCFs located across Thailand (one for each province), these shelters serve as crucial points of contact for children entering the care system, offering essential support during difficult times. However, if a child cannot be reunited with their family or placed with relatives, they may be transferred to government orphanages, negatively impacting their development and well-being.

The new policy aims to prevent such outcomes by ensuring two foster families are available in each province. This enables children brought to SCFs to remain within their communities rather than being sent to far-away orphanages. Additionally, Provincial Foster Care Panels are being established to evaluate new applicants for family-based care, leveraging community support networks to promote the long-term well-being of vulnerable children.

To support this initiative, Care for Children recently trained 210 SCF staff members in family placement, facilitating the recruitment and registration of foster carers in their local communities. The implementation of this policy represents a significant step towards improving the child welfare system in Thailand.

As our work progresses, we'll ensure to keep you updated. Thank you for your support; together, we can continue transforming the lives of children across the nation.