Supporting Kinship Care in Zimbabwe

UNICEF, Changing the Way We Care

In this case study, the authors explore how the government of Zimbabwe and local civil society organisations (CSOs) are working together to maximise the benefits and minimise the risks of kinship care. The case study is based on interviews with 12 individuals which included policy makers, practitioners, kinship carers and children in kinship care. 

Understanding the Potential for a Moratorium on Placing Children Aged 0-6 in Institutional Care

Changing the Way We Care

This study analyzes statistical data on the institutionalization of children aged between 0-6 years; examines current practices of prevention, identification, assistance, referral, and placement in institutions and family based alternative care; evaluates the knowledge and attitudes of professionals and decision makers and outlines recommendations for the development and introduction of a moratorium on placing children aged between 0-6 years in residential care.

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2023 BICON Conference Report

5th Biennial International Conference on Alternative Care for Children in Asia

This report represents a summary of presentations and discussions held throughout the two days of the BICON International Conference on Alternative Care for Children in Asia 2023.

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How Twins Separated at Birth and Sold for Adoption Were Reunited by TikTok

BBC World Service

Amy and Ano are twins, but just after they were born they were taken from their mother and sold to separate families.They found out about each other by chance and as they delved into their past, they realised thousands of babies in Georgia were stolen from hospitals and sold for adoption, some as recently as 2005. Now they want answers.

The Reality of Transitioning from Orphanages to Family Homes: Life in Extended Families in Zimbabwe

Melanie Moen, Cathrine Chiimba, Elsa Etokabeka

Many young orphans in Zimbabwe grow up in residential care facilities, but according to governmental policies and literature in this field, these children should be transitioned to extended families to ensure optimal development. This article provides empirically derived insights to the inner experiences of the transition processes of five young orphans and their extended family members, two residential care administrators, and one social worker.

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The reality of transitioning from orphanages to family homes: Life in extended families in Zimbabwe

Can Increased Support to Foster Care Families Reduce The Number of Moves for Children In Out-of-Home Care? Evidence from Norway

Norunn Hornset, Bård Smedsvik

Norwegian youth in out-of-home care move three times as frequently as their peers. Such placement instability is linked to negative outcomes in terms of social attachment, well-being, educational achievements, health, and future opportunities. Norway implemented a new child welfare service reform in 2022 that increased the municipalities responsibilities for out-of-home care. This study evaluates how the implemented measures affect the number of moves within out-of-home care in Trøndelag county. Norway.

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“There’s So Much History”: Shared Parenting Dynamics in Kinship Families

Amanda Klein-Cox, Angela Tobin, Ramona Denby

Shared parenting, when adults collaborate in childrearing, is a practice of interest for children in out-of-home care. Yet, little is known about its feasibility and outcomes for kinship families who have preexisting relationships with birth parents. This article shares qualitative results from focus groups that explored participants’ experiences and attitudes toward shared parenting in the U.S.

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Durham University Parental Rights in Prison Project

Kate O’Brien, Hannah King

This is a report about the Parental Rights in Prison Project (PRiP) based in Wales and England aimed at supporting incarcerated parents who wished to sustain their relationship with their children who are in the care of the local authority, care of family and significant others or adopted and to provide them with legal advice and support around their rights as parents. 

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