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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حماية الأطفال خلال جائحة كوفيد-19 الأطفال والرعاية البديلة

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

ف هذه المذكرة التقنية إلى دعم أخصائيي حماية الطفل الممارسين والمسؤولين الحكوميين في استجابتهم الفورية لمخاوف حماية الطفل التي يواجهها الأطفال المعرضون لخطر الانفصال

Japanese Translation: Technical Note on the Protection of Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Children and Alternative Care

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

このテクニカルノートの目的は、COVID-19パンデミックの中で、分離のリスクにさらされている子どもや社会的養育を受けている子どもが直面する、児童保護の課題に対し、児童保護の実践者と政府職員の緊急対応を支援することです。

În Perioada Pandemiei de COVID-19: Copiii și îngrijirea alternativă

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

Scopul acestei Note Tehnice este de a sprijini specialiștii din domeniul protecției copilului și funcționarii Guvernului în a reacționa imediat la îngrijorările privind protecția copilului, cu care se confruntă copiii expuși riscului de a fi separați de familie sau cei aflați în îngrijire alternativă în perioada pandemiei de COVID-19.

ЗАКРИЛА ЗА ДЕЦАТА ПО ВРЕМЕ НА ПАНДЕМИЯТА ОТ КОВИД-19: Деца в алтернативна грижа

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

Целта на тази „Специализирана информация“ е да подпомогне работещите в сферата на закрила на детето и правителствените служители в незабавния им отговор на проблемите, пред които се изправят децата, които са в риск от разделяне със семейството или в алтернативна грижа по време на пандемията от Ковид-19.

La Protection Des Enfants Durant La Pandémie De COVID-19: Les enfants et la protection de remplacement

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

Cette fiche technique vise à soutenir les praticiens de la protection de l’enfance et les responsables gouvernementaux dans leur réponse immédiate aux problèmes de protection des enfants qui risquent d’être séparés de leur famille ou qui sont placés sous protection de remplacement durant la pandémie de COVID-19.

Proteção de crianças e adolescentes durante a pandemia de COVID-19 Crianças, adolescentes e cuidados alternativos

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

O objetivo desta Nota Técnica é auxiliar os representantes governamentais e os profissionais que atuam na proteção da criança e do adolescente em sua resposta imediata às preocupações relativas à proteção de crianças e adolescentes que estão em risco de separação ou sob cuidados alternativos durante a pandemia de COVID-19.

Приложение к Технической Записке Защита Детей во Время Пандемии COVID-19: Дети и Альтернативный Уход

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

Данный сопроводительный документ к технической записке «Защита Детей во Время Пандемии COVID-19: Дети и Альтернативный Уход» содержит полезные рекомендации, которые помогут привлечь к участию все заинтересованные стороны.

Annexe à la Fiche Technique Interorganisations sur la Protection des Enfants Durant la Pandémie de Covid-19: Les Enfants et la Protection de Remplacement

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

Ce document qui accompagne la Fiche Technique interorganisations sur la Protection des enfants durant la pandémie de COVID-19 : les enfants et la protection de remplacement fournit des conseils utiles pour promouvoir l’implication et la participation de toutes les parties prenantes, qui sont indispensables pour maintenir la continuité des services pour les enfants.

La Protezione Dei Bambini Durante La Pandemia di COVID-19: Bambini ed accoglienza etero-familiare

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

L’obiettivo della presente nota tecnica è di aiutare i professionisti di protezione dell’infanzia e i funzionari governativi nelle loro azioni di risposta immediata ai problemi relativi alla protezione dell’infanzia affrontati dai bambini a rischio di separazione o in affido etero-familiare durante la pandemia di COVID-19.

Anexă la Nota tehnică inter-instituțională privind Protecția Copiilor În Perioada Pandemiei De Covid-19: Copiii Și Îngrijirea Alternativă

Better Care Network, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and UNICEF and Inter-agency Task Force, 09 Apr 2020

Acest document de însoțire a Notei tehnice inter-instituționale privind Protecția copiilor în perioada pandemiei de COVID-19: Copiii și îngrijirea alternativă oferă sfaturi utile pentru promovarea implicării și participării tuturor părților interesate, care este esențială pentru asigurarea continuității serviciilor pentru copii.