Residential Care

Residential care refers to any group living arrangement where children are looked after by paid staff in a specially designated facility. It covers a wide variety of settings ranging from emergency shelters and small group homes, to larger-scale institutions such as orphanages or children’s homes. As a general rule, residential care should only be provided on a temporary basis, for example while efforts are made to promote family reintegration or to identify family based care options for children. In some cases however, certain forms of residential care can operate as a longer-term care solution for children.

Residential care can be a positive alternative for some girls and boys when it is used appropriately and meets certain standards. For example, small group home living arrangements or supported independent living can work well in cases where children (often older teenagers) don’t feel comfortable in a family setting, or where large groups of siblings want to stay together. Similarly in cases where children have suffered trauma, severe abuse or neglect, have a severe disability or require specialised support, small group settings where trained staff can provide therapeutic care may be an appropriate care option. As much as possible, residential facilities should be small, community-based, organised to resemble a family-type or small-group situation and allow for sufficient staff to provide individualised attention to children.

It is important to distinguish between residential care and institutional care, which should only be used as a last and temporary resort for children. Institutional care refers to large-scale group care within big institutional facilities and has been associated with a wide range of problems for children including physical, social and emotional under-development - with babies and infants under the age of three especially vulnerable to lasting harm. Long periods in an institution can deprive children of positive individual attention from consistent caregivers, make it difficult for them to assimilate back into a family and community, and are often linked to increased risk of sexual and physical abuse, a lack of stimulation, and harsh discipline.

In recent years, deinstitutionalisation has been at the heart of national care reform efforts, which seek to reduce reliance on institutional care and to promote family and community based care options for children instead. This includes efforts to promote ethical volunteerism within residential care centres, educate donors and to avoid proliferation of orphanages and children’s homes after humanitarian emergencies.

The documents in this section outline residential care options for children, examine the damaging impact of institutions, explore family and community-based care alternatives and describe care reform efforts including initiatives around ethical volunteerism.

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A Snapshot of Alternative Care Arrangements in Malawi

SOS Children’s Villages International, 2013

This report from SOS Children’s Villages assesses Malawi’s compliance with, and implementation of, the UN Guidelines on the Alternative Care of Children.

A Snapshot of Alternative Care Arrangements in Kenya

SOS Children’s Villages International, 2013

This report presents findings from an assessment of Kenya's implementation of the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children.

Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards

Department for Education, 2013

This document contains the UK National Minimum Standards (NMS) applicable to residential family centres.

Knowledge Management Services - OVC Statistics

Matthew Baek - Insight Systems Corporation and John Snow Inc., 2013

This infographic provides statistics on children globally. It then provides information as it relates to the six objectives of John Snow Inc.'s Knowledge Management Services in relation to Orphans and Vulnerable Children, including children living in institutions, HIV/AIDS, child sexual exploitation, and more.

Securing Children’s Rights: A guide for professionals working in alternative care

Council of Europe December, 2013

This guide is for people who work with children and young people in places of alternative care. It is intended to assist you in understanding and supporting the rights of children you work with.

The Challenge of Reforming Child Protection in Eastern Europe: The Cases of Hungary and Romania

Roxana Anghel, Maria Herczog, Gabriela Dima, 2013

This paper discusses the challenges of reforming the child welfare and protection systems in Hungary and Romania -two countries in transition from socialism to capitalism- and the impact on children, young people, families, and professionals. The focus is on the efforts made to deinstitutionalise children from large institutions, develop local prevention services, and develop alternatives to institutional care.

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Child Protection Australia 2011-12

Australian Government - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013

This document is the 16th annual report on child protection in Australia. The report includes detailed statistical information on child protection services provided on the state and territory level as well as demographic and background information on the children receiving services.

A Snapshot of Alternative Care Arrangements in Tanzania

SOS Children’s Villages, 2013

This report and research conducted by SOS Children’s Villages reviews alternative care arrangements in Tanzania.

What Works in Tackling Child Abuse and Neglect? A Manual for Policy Makers, Managers, and Professionals

Tinje Berge-Le Clercg, Mariska de Batt from the Netherlands Youth Institute, 2013

This manual is the main outcome of the European Commission Daphne III programme, Prevent and Combat Child Abuse: What works? Involving regional exchanges and research from five countries (Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands), this manual brings together knowledge on what works in tackling child abuse. The manual suggests evidence and practice-based prevention and response strategies against child abuse and neglect, including programs and services that have been shown to be successful in strengthening family care.

Child protection in Italy and Spain: Influence of the family supported society

Jorge F. del Valle, Cinzia Canali, Amaia Bravo, Tiziano Vecchiato, 2013

The article reviews the historical development of out-of-home care in Italy and Spain and compares foster family and residential care, as well as the main research contributions to these topics in both countries.

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