REINTEGRATION & TRAINING PROGRAM

KITECHILD IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE REINTEGRATION MOVEMENT IN KENYA

Our Reintegration Training Program offers training and support for Children’s Centers to transition eligible children to living back with their families.

In conjunction with the Kenyan Government Children’s Department in Nakuru & Kiambu county, we began hosting bi-annul Kitechild Training on Exit Strategies for C.C.I.’s.

As of December 2019 we’ve had 3 training sessions since 2018. We conduct subsequent trainings as follow ups to the previous trainings.

We usually review the progress that has been made in regards to the strategies that were outlined in our previous meetings.

Information that is covered includes:
• CCI’S (charitable children institutions/ homes)regulations and understanding the government of Kenya children Act
• Alternative family care and exit methods
• Good practice in child care

IMPACT

Phase I

27 Children’s Centers

Number of Children Impacted : 1,209 children total, with 27 Children’s Centers and Orphanages participating.
Impact
Short term:
- The main objective of this training is to partner with the government of Kenya Children’s Department in Nakuru County in helping caretakers and social workers in orphanages to understand and internalize why a child is best placed with their families and communities rather than in the institutions.
- The government of Kenya has standards and policies, drafted with the aid of UNICEF, for orphanages, of which re-integration is a key component in these policies. Hence as much as we support provision of quality care for high risk children in orphanages through sustainable projects, we also want to be at the forefront in advocating for children to be de-institutionalized and be placed back in a family setup when possible, for the best interest of the child.
Long term:
- The major goal is for children to be re-integrated back to their community through a well developed exit strategy. This is usually a slow process, so we hope by 2018 we will start to see a handful of successful cases of re-integration. In addition, this training and subsequent follow ups will develop outreach programs to support children who are back home, i.e. providing for their educational costs while at home, providing nutrition, etc. In the end, only those children who are truly in need of shelter and care will reside in these children’s centers, while ‘social’ orphans, or those bred out of poverty, will be able to live with their families.
Partner Background:
27 Orphanages, Children’s Center’s, and rescue centers have signed up to participate in the training. The training will be co-hosted by Kitechild employee Martha Maina, who has over 20 years of experience in the field working with at-risk children, as well as the government children’s district officer for Nakuru, Eunice Njerinjugg. All polices and strategies are pulled from research by UNICEF and Save the Children, in conjunction with successful training strategies already in place in other centers.

Phase II

45 Children’s Centers

Number of Children Impacted : 1,346 children total, with 45 Children’s Centers and Orphanages participating.
Impact
Short term:
- The main objective of this training is to continue educating CCI’s about family re-integration and providing proper care while children must live in an orphanage.
- The government of Kenya has standards and policies, drafted with the aid of UNICEF, for orphanages, of which re-integration is a key component in these policies. Hence as much as we support provision of quality care for high risk children in orphanages through sustainable projects, we also want to be at the forefront in advocating for children to be de-institutionalized and be placed back in a family setup when possible, for the best interest of the child.
Long term:
- The major goal is for children to be re-integrated back to their community through a well developed exit strategy. This must begin with education and the drafting of work plans and strategies to achieve re-integration. In addition, this training and subsequent follow ups will develop outreach programs to support children who are back home, i.e. providing for their educational costs while at home, providing nutrition, etc. In the end, only those children who are truly in need of shelter and care will reside in these children’s centers, while ‘social’ orphans, or those bred out of poverty, will be able to live with their families.
Partner Background:
45 Orphanages, Children’s Center’s, and rescue centers have signed up to participate in the training. The training will be co-hosted by Kitechild employee Martha Maina, who has over 20 years of experience in the field working with at-risk children, as well as the government children’s district officer for Nakuru, Eunice Njerinjugg. All polices and strategies are pulled from research by UNICEF and Save the Children, in conjunction with successful training strategies already in place in other centers.