Informed by a case review of 36 Guatemalan children supported to reintegrate into families, and interviews with social workers and psychologists engaged in the process, this article explores the role of the “community connectedness” wellbeing domain. The authors explore how community connectedness or lack thereof, can contribute to child and parent/caregiver wellbeing and successful reintegration—the different types of community connectedness and who/what was involved in establishing and fostering these connections.

In 2021 Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC) completed a household survey of children and caregivers, in demonstration countries Kenya and Guatemala, to understand their experience of CTWWC services, the protective factors in their families, and the status of child well-being. Part of CTWWC’s year-three evaluation, these resulting four reports are meant to help CTWWC partners, and other care reform actors within Guatemala and Kenya, better understand CTWWC’s impact through the end of the initiative’s third year. 

This report contains the complete Kenya and Guatemala Household Survey results.

Este gráfico está destinado a los profesionales que trabajan en los organismos gubernamentales y las organizaciones no gubernamentales que participan en diferentes aspectos del sistema de protección y atención, pero específicamente en el apoyo a la reunificación, y detalla las funciones y responsabilidades específicas de quienes participan en este proceso en Guatemala y cómo deben coordinarse. 

This graphic is intended for use by professionals working within government agencies and non-governmental organizations in Guatemala engaged in different aspects of the protection and care system but specifically in support of reunification. It details specific roles and responsibilities of those engaged in this process in Guatemala and how they should coordinate.

This two-pager highlights 2018-2020 results of the The Changing the Way We Care℠ (CTWWC) initiative for decision makers, government officials, media, other institutions or organizations working with children and adolescents, and private and public counterparts. CTWWC was formed in 2018 to transform care systems and demonstrate sustainable change at scale in 5 to 7 countries, including Guatemala, Kenya, Moldova, India, and Haiti. In Guatemala and around the world, more than 80-90% of children and adolescents living in orphanages (referred to as “protection homes” in Guatemala) have at least one living parent.

Esta ruta fue aprobada por la Secretaría de Bienestar Social para ser utilizada en Zacapa por los trabajadores sociales y psicólogas que están involucrados en el proceso de manejo de caso para la reintegración de los niños y niñas del cuidado residencial hacia el cuidado familiar. Esta diseñada para apoyar la celeridad de los procesos y atención a casos.

Case Management Procedures for Reunification and Reintegration of Children and Adolescents into Family and Community-based Care was developed together with Secretary of Social Welfare (SBS), the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (PNA), Guatemala’s Attorney General (PGN), the Judicial Branch (OJ), the National Council of Adoptions (CNA), ASOCRIGUA and Hogar Aldeas de Esperanza. It was informed by Changing the Way We Care’s work in Kenya on the Caseworker’s Guidebook: Case Management for Reintegration of Children into Family or Community-Based Care, adapted to the Guatemalan context.

This report describes the process used for designing and facilitating focus group discussions with children and young adults, that informed the household survey design.

The report is aimed at professionals in social work, psychology and pedagogy who work directly with children who are in the process of reintegration into a family and community environment. The document contemplates the process carried out for the closure of cases approached from a case management methodology. The report captures the experience that was had in Zacapa, Guatemala, and it reflects on the importance of reintegration through a planned process of case management and close accompaniment to families and caregivers.