A report from the Care for Children project shows that child protection facilities are the last resort for children with no alternatives, where they have to face formidable challenges to their physical and mental growth. Meanwhile, home care for children with special circumstances is much better, which is in line with international standards and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Thousands of vulnerable children are able to live a more stable and safer childhood if surrounded by a home environment.
A representative from Care for Children said that the family care model has been carried out effectively in some Asian countries, such as Thailand and China.
The 12-year alternative care project was launched in Vietnam in 2017. It was initiated with a pilot programme in Hanoi and Thai Nguyen province, which will run until 2020 before expanding to other localities nationwide.
Thai Nguyen province is now home to 293,000 children, including some 3,000 with special circumstances. In the past few years, despite local authorities’ efforts to support such children, the number of those in vulnerable situations has remained high.
According to the MoLISA, Vietnam has about 1.5 million children considered to be living in special circumstances, including 170,000 orphaned and homeless children. More than 22,000 children are currently placed in child protection shelters.
