Social Welfare Department introduces new policy
The Department of Social Welfare has introduced a new policy to streamline activities of orphanages, foster and children's homes in order to eliminate unqualified operators to ensure the safety of children in such institutions.
Dubbed the “Care Reform Initiative”, the policy seeks to discourage too much dependency on institutions that care for children who lack parental care and rather integrate them into their families and communities to facilitate their total development.
Mr. Samuel Owusu Agyei, Central Regional Director of the Department, disclosed these in an interview with the GNA in Cape Coast on Monday.
He said the initiative of the Department was also to help put in place committed and stable approach towards the caring of vulnerable children in the country.
Mr Agyei said research undertaken by the Department indicated that many of the children living in orphanages were not orphans, and that poor and irresponsible parents dumped their children in such institutions, while some non-governmental organisations have also taken undue advantage to exploit the situation.
He explained that under the policy, all orphanages, foster and children's homes would be inspected by a task force and those without the requisite facilities and licenses would be closed down.
Mr Agyei said the qualified ones would remain as a temporary abode for vulnerable children until such time that they were adopted.
He said the Department has inspected the facilities of all the 19 orphanages, foster and children's homes in the region and the managers sensitized on the policy, adding that by the close of the year, the unqualified ones would be closed down.
Mr Agyei said licensed orphanages and homes would serve as a temporary abode for such children since the department was discouraging their permanent stay because children who over stayed sometimes tended to abuse the younger ones sexually.
He said the Department has been able to convince parents of children in such facilities to take their children back while those who were actually orphans, would be given up for adoption.