On the occasion of the Global Disability Summit, the UK Government became the first major donor of its kind to explicitly commit to promoting family and community-based care for all children.
Championing families and not orphanages, Secretary of State for International Development, Penny Mordaunt, announced: “Orphanages are harmful to children and it is often those with disabilities who are placed in them the most. This needs to end, which is why I’m committed to the long-term plan to ensure all children grow up with a family of their own.”
An NGO alliance including Hope and Homes for Children, Lumos, Save the Children and Better Care Network have joined forces to echo the UK Government’s commitment and support global change for children trapped in orphanages, especially those with disabilities who are the furthest left behind. The launch of the new ‘Civil Society Compact’ sets out a pathway for change to help end the institutionalisation of children worldwide.
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