A team of child welfare advocates under BRAVEAURORA is raising concerns over the long-term impact of institutional care on children, urging families and communities to prioritize home-based support systems.
The team, speaking during a radio discussion on the State of Our Nation program on Dreamz FM, said while orphanages and residential homes play a critical role in emergencies, they should only serve as temporary solutions.
“Residential homes are not meant to raise a child to adulthood,” one participant said. “They are a place of safety in times of crisis, not a permanent home.”
Child protection specialists warned that children who spend long periods in institutional care often struggle to reintegrate into society, especially after turning 18.
“They may lose family connections and find it difficult to form relationships,” said Lydia, a practitioner with experience in residential care. “Some even ask, ‘Where is home?’ because they’ve never known one.”
The group noted that structured environments in homes, including rotational caregivers and regulated routines can affect children’s emotional development and ability to build trust.
“Children grow up used to people coming and leaving. It affects how they relate to others later in life,” another speaker explained.
Advocates also highlighted the challenges young adults face after aging out of care, including difficulty adapting to independent living and basic household responsibilities.
To address these issues, the group promoted alternatives such as kinship care, foster care, adoption and family reunification.
They also emphasized tackling poverty as a root cause of child abandonment, calling for expanded livelihood support for vulnerable families.
“If parents are empowered economically, they are less likely to give up their children,” a representative of Brave Aurora said.
The group urged communities to support vulnerable households directly, rather than focusing solely on donations to orphanages.
“Charity should begin at home,” the speaker said. “There are families in our communities who need help to keep their children with them.”
Participants concluded that strengthening family systems and community support remains the most sustainable way to protect children’s welfare.
