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There is now unprecedented evidence of the dangerous harm that orphanages cause to children. Despite this, there are still so many in existence across the world and particularly in Africa.

A shocking 80% of children in these institutions are not actually orphans but the reason these institutions exists are complex. They can generally be categorised as;

  1. In colonial times, children without parental supervision were placed in state-run institutions, and so an ‘orphanage’ was born.
  2. Nowadays, many orphanages are profit making businesses and many people would lose money if they are closed down.
  3. There is a lack of sufficient child protection systems and a lack of formal foster and adoption programmes for children that need additional care.
  4. Many families still believe that their children would be better off in an institution, incorrectly associating orphanages as a route out of poverty, a way to get a better education for their children or a way to avoid the stigma of living with a child with disabilities.
  5. Orphanages attract attention from donors, a tangible picture of cute young children happily receiving a good meal and a nice bed. Sadly the full story is rarely told.

Children end up in institutions due to a variety of factors, poverty, disability, marginalisation, poor social support systems, trafficking and conflict.

An orphanage is no place for a child

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Registered address: 3 Fairfields, 26 Green Lane, Cobham, KT11 2NN.
Correspondence address: Chance for Childhood, PO Box 3030, Romford, RM7 1US.
Charity registered in England & Wales no. 1013587. © 2021 Chance for Childhood

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