Effects of Institutional Care

Institutionalising children has been shown to cause a wide range of problems for their development, well-being and longer-term outcomes. Institutional care does not adequately provide the level of positive individual attention from consistent caregivers which is essential for the successful emotional, physical, mental, and social development of children. This is profoundly relevant for children under 3 years of age for whom institutional care has been shown to be especially damaging.

Common issues for children in institutional care are a significantly increased risk of sexual and physical abuse, a lack of stimulation, and harsh discipline. Children in institutions are less likely to attend school, and are frequently isolated from their traditional communities. Long periods in an institution make it harder for a child to assimilate back into a family and community, and deny them access to the life-long attachments and community support systems that family relationships and communities can provide. For funders and implementing bodies, care in the community is a significantly more effective and sustainable use of resources since it avoids the high maintenance costs of institutions, and prevents many of the problems posed by institutional care.

It is widely accepted that institutions should be used as a last resort only. Countries which have traditionally relied on institutional care are now transforming their institutions into small family style group homes and actively pursuing preferences for community-based care options based around small family style units. This policy shift is urgently required in HIV/AIDS affected countries which are taking a backward step in resorting to the use of institutions to care for children orphaned or affected by the disease.

The body of literature contained in this section provides in-depth explanations of the damaging effects of institutionalisation on children and provides recommendations for alterative community care options.

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School Functioning of a Particularly Vulnerable Group: Children and Young People in Residential Child Care

Carla González-García, Susana Lázaro-Visa, Iriana Santos, Jorge F. del Valle, and Amaia Bravo - Frontiers in Psychology, 04 Jul 2017

This study describes the school functioning of a sample of 1,216 children aged between 8 and 18 living in residential child care in Spain. Results have important implications for the design of socio-educative intervention strategies in both education and child care systems in order to promote better school achievement and better educational qualifications in this vulnerable group.

The mechanisms of protection factors in operation in the case of teenagers living in Romanian placement centres

Ovidiu Bunea, Ancuta Bojian, Daniela Cojocaru - Revista de cercetare şi intervenţie socială, 01 Jul 2017

The aim of this study was to identify the processes that support the good results obtained by the teenagers and young persons who reside in the largest residential centre in the county of Iași, Romania and their concerns regarding the future.

A Study on self esteem of family reared and institutionalized orphan children in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir

Mashkoor Ahmad Lone, Dr. P Ganesan - International Journal of Advanced Research and Development, 01 Jul 2017

The present research investigated a study on self - esteem and academic performance of family reared and institutionalized orphan children.

A study of associations among attachment patterns, maltreatment, and behavior problem in institutionalized children in Japan

Emiko Katsuradaa, Mitsue Tanimukaib, Junko Akazawa - Child Abuse & Neglect, 24 Jun 2017

The present study investigates the relationships among children's history of maltreatment, attachment patterns, and behavior problems in Japanese institutionalized children.

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Sustainable Tourism Report: East Africa

SSTA & Tourism Agenda, 23 Jun 2017

The Sustainable Tourism Report: East Africa features numerous articles about sustainable and ethical tourism in East Africa, including a piece by Mark Riley and Charlotte Beau titled, "Why Including an Orphanage Trip on a Tour Itinerary is Wrong."

Funding Haitian Orphanages at the Cost of Children’s Rights

Jamie Vernaelde and Eugene Guillaume - Lumos, 22 Jun 2017

In this report, Lumos investigates the funding patterns of Haitian orphanages as well as the ramifications of orphanage life for the children raised within them to better understand why orphanages continue to flourish in the country.

Le Financement des Orphelinats aux Frais des Droits des Enfants

Jamie Vernaelde and Eugene Guillaume - Lumos, 22 Jun 2017

Pour comprendre la raison pour laquelle les orphelinats continuent de se développer en Haïti et la façon dont ils affectent les enfants, Lumos a mené une enquête sur les modes de financement et les ramifications de la vie en orphelinat sur les enfants élevés entre leurs murs.

A new look at the supposed risks of early institutional rearing

S. Woodhouse, A. Miah and M. Rutter - Cambridge University Press, 22 Jun 2017

This article focuses on the assessment of the effects of early institutional care and compares three longitudinal studies from Romania, Greece and Hong Kong/China.

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VAC in Residential Care in Africa

Kelley Bunkers - Maestral International; input from Delia Pop - Hope and Homes for Children, 21 Jun 2017

This presentation provides an overview of violence against children in residential care facilities in Africa.

Ending Institutional Care in Africa: Questions & Answers

Transform Alliance Africa, 01 Jun 2017

In this Q&A document, organisations that have joined forces to put an end to institutional care in Africa explain why and what they are doing to ensure all children grow up in the love of a family.