“Strong Beginnings – A Family for
all Children”
May 2014 to Dec 2015
Overall objective: “Strong Beginnings, a
family for all children” aims to promote
family based care for children living
without appropriate care in Uganda in
line with the existing legal and policy
framework for children.
Terre des Hommes Netherlands is an organisation based in The Hague.
Founded in 1965 Terre des Hommes Netherlands aims to improve the quality
of life of children in difficult circumstances around the world regardless of race,
faith or political orientation and uphold their rights according to the UN
Convention of the Rights of the Child.
The mission of Terre des Hommes Netherlands is that the rights of vulnerable
children and their families are respected, so that children can properly develop
their potential in a safe environment.
Terre des Hommes Netherlands prevents children from being exploited;
removes children from exploitative situations and ensures these children can
develop themselves in a safe environment.
• Childs i Foundation (CiF) was founded in 2009 to focus on
promotion of family based care for abandoned children,
following the Children’s Act, NSPPI and the Alternative
Care Framework.
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CiF works to ensure that children are raised in a nurturing
family, not institutional care. As such CiF has piloted and
developed successful programmes that can be leveraged and
inform the work of other childcare practitioners.
Why ‘Strong Beginnings’?
• Approximately 800 orphanages / residential care institutions in Uganda
• Less than 30 are licensed by MGLSD
• Approximately 50,000 children in orphanages / institutions
• Over 85% have no pro-active resettlement programmes
• Over 75% without social work capacity
• Over 80% do not have a child protection policy
• Over 50% have completely unacceptable care standards
• Many children in orphanages are there illegally (no or expired care order)
• Nearly 70% have inadequate child records
• 95% of orphanage funding comes from the West
Research has shown that children suffer immeasurably when brought up in an
institution (even well funded ones) and that family /family based placements are
much better and more economical for children, communities and society
The project is a result of Terre des Hommes
engaging with Alternative Care experts in
Uganda, MGLSD and other stakeholders
(UNICEF / ChildFund etc) and is a significant
milestone in field of Alternative Care.
It supports the advancement and promotion of
children remaining and growing up in families in
line with government policy and best child
protection and child development practises.
Key Project Activities
• Build the capacity of 18 private institutions to deliver government policy
on alternative care (gatekeeping, resettlement and family placements)
• Work with 2 government institutions – build capacity / resettle children
• Sensitise community to the damage of institutional care
• Support Government in assessing, reporting and regulating institutions
• Establish the Alternative Care Panel within Government
• Provide a blueprint through effective monitoring and evaluation
• Develop curriculum for government policy on Alternative Care
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Benefactors / Goals
20% reduction in partner Child Care Institution’s population
21 community sensitisation reaching 600 people
10 radio shows on dangers of institutional care
20 bespoke programmes of trainings for CCI’s on prevention
20 CCI’s demonstrate active gatekeeping/prevention and correspondent case work
500 children traced and reintegrated into family care
20 CCI’s passed Government Assessments, trained and supported
120 visits for L&D to partner CCI’s
100 families receive IGA support
226 Assessments of CCI’s (initial assessments or follow-ups)
113 action plans for CCI’s completed
18 National Panel meetings hosted by secretariat
175 Children receiving improved high quality care
Learning and Development curriculum produced
150 staff trained on government policy practices for resettlement / alternative care
Ugandans Adopt campaign receives 1100 enquiries
Partners
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Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development – work with partners on
project implementation, provide advice and guidance and provide the necessary
resources / inputs to ensure project success
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Child’s i foundation – Lead Organisation – develop and build capacity of the
targeted 20 CCI’s - raise the standards, improve gate-keeping, resettlement of
children and provide family based alternative care
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ANPPCAN – support targeted and agreed Government Institutions to resettle
children and strengthen families
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Alternative Care Initiatives – provision of technical resources for supporting
MGLSD inspection team and develop an official Alternative Care Secretariat
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Makerere – Develop Monitoring and Evaluation tools in order to create a
blueprint for the rest of the country and develop a national curriculum
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Terre des Hommes Netherlands – technical support, organizational capacity
building and advice
Partner – Inputs / Actions
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Work within, and promote, the Government guidelines and policy for children
without parental care – Children’s Act of Uganda, Alternative Care Framework
and Approved Homes Regulations
Open and transparent dialogue with MGLSD and PSWO’s
Report cases of abuse and mismanagement (discovered during assessments etc) to
the necessary authorities
Highlight concerns issues in a sensitive way according to guidelines to be provided
by MGLSD
Work with other key stakeholders in order to develop an holistic response to
children without appropriate care (child helpline, OVC, NCC, NCPWG etc)
Submit Quarterly report to MGLSD
Uphold values and ethics in accordance with Government of Uganda
Advocate for additional funding for other related services / support that are
identified as a part of the project
Many national and international eyes are
on this programme - working together we
can change the lives of many children and
families AND prove that our policies can
and do work
Contacts
Tracy Kyagulanyi, Executive Director tracy@childsifoundation.org , 0776110331
Mark Riley, Interim Project Manager, mark.riley@alternative-care-initiatives.org , 0784350921