RESIDENTAL CARE INSTITUTIONS

Projects: Residential Care Institutions

Residential care refers to all institutions housing children overnight. This includes orphanages, shelters, safe houses, children’s homes, children’s villages, boarding schools, rehabilitation centres, transitional homes etc.

GUIDANCE NOTES THE CAMP WAY

Does the project involve visiting or volunteering at a Residential Care Institution?

Residential care is an outdated and harmful model of care for all children. Many children that end up in orphanages actually have a suitable family to live with at home, but financial incentives perpetuate this damaging practice. The detrimental effects of growing up in residential care are exacerbated by the presence and constant flow of short-term visitors and volunteers.

Does the project involve caring for children (playing, bathing, feeding, helping with hygiene, dressing etc)?

These caring activities may seem helpful, and relatively simple for volunteers to engage in. However, they provide very little benefit to the local community and perpetuate feelings of inequality. Additionally, children who are unable to care for themselves are particularly vulnerable to abuse and the harm caused by short-term visitors and volunteers. These activities should be restricted to the child’s primary caregiver. CI completely avoids engagement in these types of activities due to the unacceptable risk of harm to local children.

CI completely avoids visiting, volunteering and donating to residential care institutions due to the unacceptable risk of harm to local children.