Community Based Care Mechanisms

The Guidelines for the Alternative Care for Children highlight the importance of providing children with care within family-type settings in their own communities. This allows girls and boys to maintain ties with natural support networks such as relatives, friends and neighbours, and minimizes disruption to their education, cultural and social life. Keeping children within their communities (ideally as close as possible to their original homes), also allows girls and boys to stay in touch with their families, and facilitates potential reintegration.

Examples from around the world demonstrate that there are many ways children without adequate family care can be supported within their own communities. This includes both formal and informal arrangements such as foster care, kinship care, domestic adoption/Kafala, guardianship, supervised independent living, child-headed households and small group homes.

These practices can be supported through a range of formal measures including social protection schemes (e.g. child sensitive cash transfers), family strengthening services, community based rehabilitation services for children with disabilities, respite care, training for caregivers, and policies that support families in alternative care-taking roles. Increasing access to free education and health services, and establishing social assistance programmes to reduce poverty, can also help the poorest caregivers to support children within the community.

In the absence of well-developed care and child protection systems in many countries, community based mechanisms can also play a key role supporting children and caretakers in alternative care situations. Child protection Committees, faith based organizations, civil society groups, volunteer associations and other community based groups can provide financial or practical support through schemes that help to fund children’s education or health costs, link them to support services or social assistance schemes, and provide mentorship and family counseling. Home visits and caretaker support groups can also play a valuable role, while awareness raising efforts to promote children’s rights (particularly if supported by community and religious leaders), can help to reduce discrimination against girls and boys in alternative care arrangements – particularly those with disabilities or from minority groups.

As long as they are not over-burdened or given responsibilities beyond their competence, community-based groups can provide vital support to children in alternative care situations. Often however, they are hampered by weak organizational procedures, limited technical capacity and poor coordination. Continued efforts by governments, NGOs and international agencies are needed to promote their institutional development and to enhance their ability to support children.

The literature in this section describes a range of care arrangements that enable children to receive adequate care within their own communities, and community support initiatives that help to sustain them.

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Forgotten Families: Older People as Carers of Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Help Age International and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance , 2003

A publication by International AIDS Alliance and HelpAge International provides an overview of the issues identified by older people and orphans and vulnerable children themselves; examples of community-based programs that are improving the lives of older people and orphans and vulnerable children; recommendations that will help to prioritize orphans and their carers within HIV/AIDS and wider development policies, programs and research.

Not Seen or Heard: The Lives of Separated Refugee Children in Dar es Salaam

Gillian Mann, 2003

A study on the lives of separated refugee children in Dar es Salaam. The study highlights their experiences of abuse and discrimination, and their negative perception of refugee camps.

Community Based Care for Separated Children

David Tolfree, 2003

A paper discussing the shortcomings of systems in which separated children are placed into residential/ institutional forms of care. It also considers community-based and some other forms of care as alternative approaches to preventing unnecessary separation of children from their families.

Speak for the Child: Case Study: Kenya

Diane Lusk, Jael Mararu, Chloe O'Gara, and Sarah Dastur, 2003

A case study of a pilot project in western Kenya focused on community-based orphan care and support. Includes a description of the project activities, including community mobilization and needs assessment, as well as lessons learned and suggestions for improvement.

Street Children: The Core of Child Abuse and Neglect in Nigeria

P.O. Ebigbo, 31 Dec 2002

A research study which explores the overt and covert abuse and neglect experienced by children, especially by those who work and/or live on the streets, in three Nigerian towns. Includes a brief discussion of the African Network on Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) in Nigeria.

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Working With and For Adolescents: Some UNICEF Examples

UNICEF, 2002

Compiled case descriptions from a diverse set of programs that work with and for adolescents. Analysis emphasizes common challenges and lessons learned for strategic planning.

Costs of Care and Support

Tim Quinlan and Chris Desmond, 31 Dec 2001

Discussion of the cost of care and support for children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa, with a recommendation for the combined use of state based interventions and community based solutions.

A Civil Society Forum for South Asia on Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Street Children

Consortium for Street Children, 2001

Report from a regional meeting on street children in South Asia. Contains country reports, outlines key issues, and highlights best practices for programs operating in the region. Includes recommendations for advocacy, program and policy development.

Group Care and Fostering of Sudanese Children in Pignudu and Kakuma Refugee Camps: The Experience of Save the Children Sweden from 1990 to 1997.

Alebel Derib, 2001

A case study that describes and analyzes Group care arrangements and the fostering program (“Family Attachment”) in the refugee camps in Pignudo (Ethiopia) and Kakuma (Kenya). This study includes the evaluation done on the Family Attachment program in Kakuma refugee camps which assessed it’s weaknesses and strengths.

Child Needs Assessment Tool Kit

N/A, 2001

A comprehensive tool kit providing a methodology, questionnaire and software for assessing the needs of young children affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Used to help design of service programs, secure funding, and monitor and evaluate programs specifically targeting the needs of young children and their families.