In this blog post for Save the Children, Rebecca Smith, Senior Child Protection Adviser at Save the Children, writes about access to education (or lack thereof) as a driving force for the institutionalization of children around the globe. "Putting your child in an orphanage can seem like the only option to protect your child’s future when your family has fallen into deep poverty. And because schools are not to be found in some communities or are too expensive, the directors of orphanages that offer some form of schooling can make it seem like it’s the best possible way to give your child a good start in life," writes Smith. "Children need stability and security within a family to survive, learn and thrive – yet in so many places, parents are given the message that children would be better off placed in a child care institution to access education than at home with a safe and loving family." Smith urges people considering volunteering in an orphanage to review ReThink Orphanages' volunteer checklist and call for a global shift from supporting orphanages to supporting family based care.
