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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Cash Transfers: Real Benefit for Children Affected by AIDS

Interagency Task Team (IATT) on Children and HIV and AIDS: Working Group on Social Protection, 2007

A 4-page advocacy document outlining the potential benefit of cash transfers in the context of children and AIDS.

How-to Guide: Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities

Catholic Relief Services, 2007

A ‘How-to’ Guide, based on the experiences of CRS/Vietnam, that provides practical strategies and steps developing countries can take to build inclusive education programmes for children with disabilities.

Cultural considerations in out-of-home care

Nicholas Richardson, Dr Leah Bromfield and Dr Alexandra Osborn - Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2007

The aims of this paper are to: summarise what we know from Australian research about cultural considerations for children and young people in care; assess the quality of the evidence base; and identify future research needs.

Evaluating the Impact of Brazil's Bolsa Familia Program

Fábio Veras Soares, Rafael Perez Ribas, Rafael Guerreiro Osório, 2007

Evaluates targeting and human capital impacts of Brazil's Bolsa Familia Program in comparison with Mexico's Oportunidades, and Chile's Chile Solidario.

Psychosocial Care and Support for Young Children and Infants in the Time of HIV and AIDS: A Resource for Programming

REPSSI, 2007

Clear programme guidance on psychosocial support, with a special focus on infants and young children. Excellent explanation of psychosocial support models.

How-to Guide: Student Dropout Prevention and Response

Shkumbin Arifi, Vlora Kryeziu and Kaitlin Nelson - Catholic Relief Services, 2007

This Guide provides a number of practical strategies, tips and activities for working with stakeholders to prevent student dropout. Based on the work of CRS/Kosovo, this information is useful for other organizations and government bodies working on student dropout prevention and response within the region.

The Challenges of El Salvador's Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Red Solidaria

Tatiana Feitosa de Britto, International Poverty Centre, 2007

Provides analysis of the historical background and current structure of El Salvador's conditional cash transfer programme with attention to family integration

Guidelines for Combatting Child Labor Among Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

International Labor Organization IPEC and PRO 169, 2006

Guidelines to address the specific needs and rights of indigenous children in the context of child labour. Includes a comprehensive list of follow-up resources.

Barriers and Incentives to Orphan Care in a Time of AIDS and Economic Crisis: A Cross-sectional Survey of Caregivers in Rural Zimbabwe

Brian Howard, Carl Phillips, Nelia Matinhure, Karen J Goodman, Sheryl McCurdy, and Cary Johnson, 2006

A survey of caregivers designed to assess barriers and incentives to fostering in rural Zimbabwe. Suggests that incentives for sustainable orphan care should focus on financial assistance.

A Model for Community-Based Care for Children: Nkundabana

CARE , 2006

A lessons learned document reviewing impacts of a community-based care and mentoring program for child-headed households in Rwanda.