This case study, part of the five-year evaluation of the Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) initiative, examines efforts in Guatemala to strengthen child and family protection through local government engagement. Specifically, it documents how CTWWC partnered with the municipality of Zacapa to establish and expand Municipal Offices for Children and Adolescents (OMNAs), which coordinate social services, prevent unnecessary family separation, and support family reintegration. By building capacity in case management, fostering inter-institutional collaboration, and creating sustainable local structures, the approach has demonstrated success in family strengthening and inspired replication in additional municipalities. The findings highlight the potential of bottom-up, municipal-led reform to influence national care policy and broader child protection systems
See also:
- Final Report: Changing the Way We Care; Year 5 Evaluation
- Kafaalah Case Study: An approach to formalizing an informal alternative family care option
- Moldova Case Study: An approach to collectively design a strengthened social service workforce
- Case Study: An approach to building consensus, collaboration, and scale: the Transforming Children’s Care Collaborative (in partnership with the Better Care Network)
