In this piece for Health Progress, the Journal of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, Shannon Senefeld, Philip Goldman and Anne Smith explain why many aid groups are working to end the use of orphanages for children in favor of family-based care and describe the work of the Changing the Way We Care initiative which seeks to "mobilize other likeminded organizations, raise awareness, promote new policies and encourage well-meaning donors to shift their support away from orphanages and toward families."
"Part of the work includes educating anyone who hopes to volunteer in an orphanage and asking volunteers to keep in mind that most developed countries did away with orphanages decades ago because of the harm caused to children. We must remember our own history. There are far better ways to help the world’s most vulnerable families and ensure that children in Uganda, Haiti, Guatemala and many other countries across the globe have the love and nurturing that only a family can provide."
