Following a consultative mapping, a regional learning meeting took place on 19-20 August 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of this meeting was "Reflection on past, current and future efforts aimed at strengthening child care systems in East and Southern Africa." The aim of the meeting was to bring together organizations involved in family strengthening and alternative care, providing a forum to share information, build collaboration and prioritise needs in three interlinked thematic areas:
i) building and sharing evidence,
ii) strengthening technical capacity and
iii) improving joint advocacy efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The two day meeting was designed to have a mixed approach of presentations, plenary discussions and group work. 36 participants included representatives from UNICEF, Oak Foundation, Save the Children, African Child Policy Forum, REPSSI, RIATT, ANPPCAN, RETRAK, Terre des Hommes, SOS Children Villages, Give a Child a Family, Hope and Homes for Children, Investing in Children and their Societies in Africa (ICS Africa), Parenting in Africa Network, Plan International, World Vision, Men Care + in Eastern and Southern Africa, Child Protection in Community Exchange Network, HelpAge, Hope World Wide regional, Family for Every Child, Catholic Relief services, Kenya Society of Care Leavers, Africa Association of School of Social Workers, Children Institute University of Cape Town, representing stakeholders involved in family strengthening and alternative care across Eastern and Southern Africa.
Over the course of two days a combination of panel presentations, plenary discussion and group work provided the opportunity for organisation representatives to share information and lessons learnt about current activities, gaps and/or challenges in each thematic area and they jointly identified priority areas to inform future planning.
