Supported Child Headed Households

A child-headed household is one where there are no adult carers available and children live on their own. Typically an older child will care for siblings, cousins, nephews or nieces. Such a situation is increasingly common in areas with high AIDS mortality and regions affected by genocide or war.

Research has shown that there are a variety of reasons why a sibling group may live on its own. It may be the only way to remain together, the best way to retain the use and ownership of their parents’ land and home, or the only option available.

Some child-headed households are supported by extended family members and others are entirely on their own. A child-headed household may be extremely vulnerable, or it may have strong family and community links and living in acceptable circumstances. External agencies must consider carefully how best to support a child-headed household or whether an alternative care option would be better. Direct provision of aid by an outside organization has been shown to undermine community support to child-headed households, and some agencies have found that the best way to provide care is through community structures.

Child-headed households typically require support in order to ensure their access to basic health, nutrition, shelter, and education. They will also need legal protection in order to receive information on inheritance and property rights. Governments must consider how to ensure such services are available and how child-headed households can be supported in a comparable way to kinship or foster care arrangements. Any social assistance policy must take care not to encourage separation from adult caretakers.

Child-headed households are best protected when included in the community and its activities. Projects should not isolate children in such households and should work to empower them to gain greater control over their futures e.g. via education and vocational training.

The literature contained here gives an overview of the situation of child headed households in various settings, and examples of child care policies required in supporting them.

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Youth Independent Living

UNICEF and Maestral, 18 Dec 2025

Youth Independent Living outlines the role of supported and supervised independent living as a key care option for adolescents and young people transitioning out of alternative care in Ukraine. Grounded in international legal frameworks and global evidence, the brief explains how independent living services support youth to safely transition to adulthood while prioritizing their best interests over institutional care.

Supervised Independent Living in Uganda

UNICEF and Changing the Way We Care, 01 Jul 2025

Supervised independent living involves a child or young person living without an adult but receiving regular supervision, guidance, mentoring and monitoring from an assigned adult mentor. This case study explores lessons learned from three non-governmental organisation (NGO) programmes in Uganda.

Video: Supervised independent living in Uganda

UNICEF and Changing the Way We Care, 08 Jun 2025

This video describes lessons learnt from the use of supervised independent living in Uganda for adolescents and young adult care leavers.

The Role of Independent Living Programs and Supervised Independent Living Placements

Chapin Hall, 07 Jan 2025

This policy brief explores how extended foster care in the U.S.—enabled by the Fostering Connections Act of 2008—can support young people aging out of foster care by providing critical resources and stable living arrangements through Independent Living Programs (ILPs) and Supervised Independent Living Placements (SILPs). It outlines the challenges these youth face, the evolution of related federal policy, and offers recommendations to strengthen support during their transition to adulthood.

Developmental Challenges Faced by Adolescent Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Chimanimani District in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe

Vincent Chidhumo, Fortunate Zambezi, Pridemore Thondhlana, 22 May 2024

The study investigated the psychosocial consequences of poverty on rural Zimbabwean learners from child-headed households who are lagging behind in their learning. The study also aimed to generate recommendations based on the research findings.

Socio-economic supports available for the education of adolescent girls in child-headed families in the Kingdom of Eswatini: Policy Implication for Educational Evaluators

S’lungile K.Thwala, Christian S. Ugwuanyi, Chinedu I.O. Okeke, Ngwenya Ncamsile - International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 01 May 2021

The study sought the socio-economic supports available for the high school adolescent girl learners from child-headed families (CHFs).

Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty: The Role of Agency in Mitigating the Impact for Child-Headed Households - A Case of Zola, Soweto (South Africa)

Leonard Munyaradzi Agere and Marilyn Agere - African Journal of Social Work, 15 Aug 2020

This study explored child headed households (CHH) in South Africa.

Responding to Maternal Loss: A Phenomenological Study of Older Orphans in Youth-Headed Households in Impoverished Areas of South Africa

Busisiwe Ntuli, Ephodia Sebola and Sphiwe Madiba - Healthcare, 10 Aug 2020

The aim of this study was to explore how older orphans in youth-headed households (YHHs) experience and respond to maternal death and to examine the strategies they employ to care for their younger siblings.

Psychosocial deficits underpinning child headed households (CHHs) in Mabvuku and Tafara suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe

A. Makuyana, S. P. Mbulayi, S. M. Kangethe - Children and Youth Services Review, 14 May 2020

This qualitative study used a case study design to explore the manifestations of the core psycho-social deficits associated with children domiciled in child headed households.

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Maternal AIDS Orphans and the Burden of Parenting in Youth-headed Households; Implications for Food Security in Impoverished Areas of South Africa

Ephodia Sebola, Busisiwe Ntuli, Sphiwe Madiba - The Open Public Health Journal, 24 Apr 2020

This study explored the parenting experiences of orphaned youth heading households in resource-constrainted environments.