All children have a right to a childhood, to safety, happiness, playfulness, and curiosity in life. All children have the right to grow up and develop socially and intellectually. World Childhood Foundation works to prevent abuse and exploitation of children. They support and implement over 100 projects around the world, assisting children who are at risk of or are victims of abuse, children who are in alternative care, street children, and families at risk.
We support and implement over 100 projects around the world, assisting children who are at risk of or are victims of abuse, children who are in alternative care, street children, and families at risk.
Childhood’s work is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and is politically and religiously unaffiliated. The goal of Childhood is that no child should be exposed to a violent or damaging environment, but instead have the opportunity to grow up with memories of a safe and loving childhood.
Childhood has offices in Germany, Brazil, USA, and Sweden.
Where they operate
Contact this organization about:
Headquarters Location
Sveavägen 166
11346 Stockholm
Sweden
Organization Type
Main Areas of Work
What They Do
Childhood's programming focus on the following:
- Partnerships with local organizations to promote care family-based options to residential care: Direct support focused on prevention and development of practical options to residential care
- Partnerships with local organizations to support transition, reintegration and gradual phase out of residential care
- Research on various aspects of residential care: Recently commissioned studies include a report on how the COVID-pandemic has impacted residential care in 5 countries and an assessment of the global policy landscape related to alternative care/care reform (through the Elevate children funders group).
- Supporting Care Reform
- Participation in international networks related to alternative care: We are active in several working groups and international networks including the Elevate children funders group, rethink orphanages and the Transforming childrens care global collaborative platform.
Residential Care Service Transition Support
Supports they have offered, or plan to offer, include:
- Introducing the importance of family care and reintegration to leaders in the organization
- Strategy and planning for the transition
- Donor and board engagement
- Community awareness raising and engagement
- Partnerships
- Government engagement and linking to systems reforms
- Assessments of children and families
- Family tracing
- Preparing children and families for transition
- Staffing adjustments or training
- Developing new programs, including:
- Family and community strengthening
- Alternative family care (including kinship care, foster care, adoption)
- Advocacy
- Provide funding for the transition
- General coaching or consultation
- Onsite visits/meetings
- Phone calls/video conference
- Connecting with others or building a network
World Childhood Foundation is currently supporting care reform and the development of practical and innovative options to institutions in Cambodia, Thailand and Sweden.
We are working in Cambodia and Thailand to support care reform including transition of individual residential care centres. In Sweden we are providing hands-on support to groups supporting residential care abroad to encourage, support and facilitate transition to community and family based support. Direct interventions include awareness raising, coaching, advise and strategy for engaging with residential care partners in other countries and how to plan and implement transition.
We asked this organization to tell us a little more about their learning and knowledge sharing practices. Here is what they said
Our focus on practical options to residential care has in many situations been very valuable in addition to other efforts to support policy development and an overall care reform. We work closely and directly with very committed and professional local partners who tend to play key roles in national processes to move away from residential care. Together with them, we consistently manage to move towards care reform including the very important development of alternative methods and approaches.
Maintaining close relationships and a profound understanding of all countries we work in gives us solid knowledge and understanding of both differences and similarities between countries and parts of the world. Understanding how interventions are received and work in practice leads to on-going learning of the complexities associated with moving towards care reform and where all children are able to grow up in a caring and loving family.
Be flexible, modest and listen to local expertise.
We follow all partnerships and interventions closely and regularly reflect on learnings, our strategy and how we work to achieve our goal. Through our 3-year global strategy we are able to regularly reflect on our overall direction and whether we work effectively and achieve defined goals.
We take all opportunities to share learnings and hear from others experiences. Maintaining a strong international and local network is key, as well as working across disciplines and sectors. Cooperation is key for all work related to child protection.