Children Affected by Poverty and Social Exclusion

Around the world, poverty and social exclusion are driving factors behind the placement of children into alternative care. Families give up their children because they are too poor to care for them, or they feel that it is the best way to help them to access basic services such as education and health care. Discrimination and cultural taboos mean that girls, children with disabilities, ethnic minorities, children with HIV/AIDS and children born out of wedlock, make up a disproportionate number of children abandoned into alternative care.

Poor-quality alternative care leads to a vicious cycle of poverty and inequality. With limited family-based alternative care options in many countries, children often end up in institutional care. Already marginalized by poverty or stigmatization, they risk becoming further excluded from society, as they grow up separated from their families and communities. In the worst cases, inadequate or unsafe care standards expose them to neglect, violence and abuse. When they eventually leave institutional care, young adults may then struggle to reintegrate into their communities and face high rates of homelessness, unemployment, chronic poverty, depression and even suicide.

Greater political and financial commitment is needed to tackle the poverty and social exclusion that drives families to give up their children. This includes wide-ranging measures to combat poverty, discrimination and stigmatization, to change attitudes towards single parenthood and disability, and to adopt social policies promoting family empowerment and parenting skills. Greater priority must also be given to developing good-quality family-based care options, such as foster care and adoption, for the girls and boys who need alternative families.

The documents in this section examine the relationship between poverty, social exclusion and placement of children in alternative care.

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Child Poverty in the Philippines

Republic of the Philippines - Philippine Statistic Authority, UNICEF, 2015

Using panel data from the Philippines' Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES), this paper also looks into how such dynamics affects children's welfare. Meanwhile, to complement the profile on child poverty, this paper scrutinizes how the government has faired so far in addressing poverty via its biggest social protection programme, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). The brief review also touches on a variant of the Pantawid Pamilya that caters to street families, particularly its design and targeting strategy, and other Department of Social Welfare and Development programmes involving the welfare of children.

Fact Sheet for Tribal Child Welfare Officials

Children’s Bureau , 2015

This factsheet looks at whether States in the US are following best practices in regards to the Indian Child Welfare Act, such as notification of Tribes and placement preferences. Findings from the Reviews are presented.

Impact of Rural-Urban Labour Migration on Education of Children: A Case Study of Left Behind and Accompanied Migrant Children in India

Dr Archana K Roy, Pappu Singh, and Prof. UN Roy - Space and Culture, India 2015, 2:4, 2015

This paper explores the impact of temporary labour migration of parent(s) on school attendance of children between 6–14 years and their dropping out from school through an analysis of cases from both ends of the migration stream in India - children accompanying their migrant parents and children left behind.

Creating Places Of Belonging: Expanding Notions Of Permanency With Indigenous Youth In Care

Sandrina de Finney, Lara di Tomasso - The First Peoples Child and Family Review Vol 10, No 1 (2015) , 2015

This paper calls for creative pathways of engagement that delineate places of belonging for and with Indigenous youth in care.

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Exploring the Appropriateness of Institutionalized Care of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in the Era of HIV/AIDS: Examples from South Africa and Botswana

Dudzai Nyamutinga and S. M. Kang’ethe - Journal of Human Ecology , 2015

The present study aimed to evaluate and discuss the appropriateness of institutions caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in the face of HIV/AIDS through a systematic literature review.

Family Strengthening Programs: Where Do We Go From Here?

Anne Jones University and Pajarita Charles - Journal of Family Strengths , 31 Dec 2014

This paper describes a study that examined the economic challenges faced by low-income, unmarried parents in the United States who participated in the Strong Couples - Strong Children (SC - SC) program, a federally funded initiative intended to help strengthen relationships of fragile families by providing relationship education programs.

Reforming Child Institutional Care in the Post-Soviet Bloc: The Potential Role of Family-Based Empowerment Strategies

Leyla Ismayiloya, Fred Ssewamala, Aytakin Huseynli - Children and Youth Services Review, 18 Dec 2014

Through a desk review of peer reviewed journal and “grey” literature published in English and Russian languages, this paper provides a review of current deinstitutionalization efforts in the region, identifies potential challenges, describes the need for economic empowerment interventions, and outlines directions for future research.

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Twinning in the Best Interests of Children: Promoting Family Life, Not Orphanages

Catholic Relief Services, 16 Dec 2014

This document, published by Catholic Relief Services, urges members of the Catholic faith community to consider the best interests of the child when partnering, or “twinning” with parishes in Haiti and undertaking charitable activities.

Preventive Measures for Reducing the Placement of Children in Institutional Care - Croatia

Republic of Croatia Ministry of Social Policy and Youth, 10 Nov 2014

On 10 September 2014, UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria co-hosted a high level Lunchtime Discussion on The right of children below three years to live in a caring and supportive family environment: examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.The discussion took place on the margins of the September meeting of the UNICEF Executive Board and brought together over 80 participants, including members of the UNICEF Executive Board, representatives of the Permanent Missions to the UN from the CEE/CIS region, international organizations, NGOs, high level UNICEF and National Committee staff. Representatives from Croatia presented on preventing institutionalization of children.

Eliminating Discrimination Against Children and Parents Based on Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity

UNICEF , 01 Nov 2014

This position paper from UNICEF clearly states that all children have a right to a safe and healthy childhood, free from discrimination. This discrimination includes discrimination against children based on the real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of children or their parents.