Orphan Care Model Part 3: A New Approach
When given the assignment of defining what constitutes the “ideal” orphan care program, the immediate response was, “Well, that’s easy . . . a family!” But for the millions of orphaned and vulnerable children in the world, the idea of family remains an elusive and unrealistic dream. The purpose of this proposal is to emphasize the importance of an environment that is almost family, in a setting where children are learning, growing, and safe.
Almost Family
The family holds special importance in all cultures and accomplishes several essential and highly significant functions in child development: establishment of personal identity, modeling social integration and cultural identity, facilitating personal maturation and economic self-reliance, and providing of a sense of belonging and worth. Replicating these family-like functions is not an easy process, requiring careful screening and selection of potential caregivers. Additionally, the program put in place would need to avoid the institutional pitfalls which lead to adverse outcomes, namely, highly regimented schedules, high ratios of children to caregivers, lack of emotional attachment by the caregivers, rotating caregiver shifts and high turnover. The program would need to create a safe, secure home environment which would promote attachment and build trusting relationships.
Choice of caregivers, perhaps more than any other element, is critical to the success of the program. They must be experienced in child rearing, nurturing and approachable, and ideally, they would be drawn from the local community and able to model the local culture and customs. Two caregivers would foster 8 children on a full-time basis, with relief caregivers providing periodic respite on a biweekly to monthly basis or as needed. Similar residential programs in Africa provide private quarters for caregivers caring for 8-10 children within a single dwelling home, in which both the caregivers and their foster children reside. It has been found that widows drawn from the community are particularly well suited to this type of program. Not only are they familiar with the community and well versed in the cultural practices of the area, but many of them have raised children of their own and are in need of companionship and employment. The residences will approximate a nurturing and loving family environment as closely as possible, in both structural layout and in parenting, with values modeling, spiritual nurturing, and instruction in good hygiene and life skills.
Almost Homes
•Single dwelling cottages for 5-8 children with 2 consistent caregivers.
•Education: on site school if public education is impractical or unavailable.
•Healthcare: on site medical clinic with support from western hospital or university
•Vocational Training: skills in farming, construction, etc. with resulting economic sustainability
•Community Development
Click here to continue to Part 4: Orphan Care in Community Development
Research compiled by Dr. Brad Davidson. Sources available upon request.
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