This report examines what family means to children and adults in the following countries: Brazil, India, Guyana, South Africa, Egypt, Mexico, Russia, Kenya.  The storytellers use evidence from 59 short films made using digital storytelling technique.

In this chapter of Global Perspectives, Stephen Ucembe uses his personal experiences and his experiences as a social work professional to discuss institutional care in Kenya.  This chapter covers the factors that influence institutional care of children in Kenya, international aid, volunteerism, and the negatives of institutional care.

This is a study from Catholic Relief Services that investigates the factors related to children’s placement in Catholic-affiliated residential care facilities in Zambia.  According to this study, the government estimates that there are approximately 190 residential-care facilities located in Zambia, and of those 40 are Catholic-affiliated.  At the time of this study, there were 1674 residents living in residential care.

The overall objective of this study was to deepen understanding on the experiences and support systems of grandparent-headed households with children of prisoners (CoP) in Uganda.

The Children (Amendment) Act of 2016 is an Act to amend the Children's Act Cap. 59 of Uganda to enhance the protection of children; to strengthen the provision for guardianship of children; to strengthen the conditions for intercountry adoption; to prohibit corporal punishment; to provide for the National Children Authority; repeal the National Council for Children Cap. 60 and to provide for other related matters. 

These DRAFT Regulations on the Care and Protection of Children of the Children’s Act of Zanzibar offer a definition of a child in need of protection and outline the general duties of the Department of Social Welfare in regards to providing that protection.

This document highlights examples of good practices in parenting and family strengthening interventions based on evaluations of programs and initiatives throughout Africa.

This chapter first traces the etymology of the definition of “orphan” and its attendant “crises.” Then, using examples from Guatemala and Uganda, the authors consider how the idea of an “orphan crisis” has traveled from development to charitable responses and what effects this has on local child protection systems.

In this short video, Amanda Thorsteinsson documents the proliferation of orphanages in Uganda and the role of well-intentioned Westerners in contributing to this problem. 

Published jointly with UNICEF, this new BCN Working Paper focuses on the role of gatekeeping in strengthening family-based care and reforming alternative care systems. This Working Paper reviews different approaches to gatekeeping in five countries--Brazil, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Moldova, and Rwanda--to consider what has and has not worked, to analyze lessons learned from practice, and to reflect on the implications for improving policy and programs in this area.