“Strong Beginnings – A Family for all Children”

1. “Strong Beginnings – A Family for all Children” May 2014 to Dec 2015

2. Overall objective: “Strong Beginnings, a family for all children” aims to promote family based care for children living without appropriate care in Uganda in line with the existing legal and policy framework for children.

3. Terre des Hommes Netherlands is an organisation based in The Hague. Founded in 1965 Terre des Hommes Netherlands aims to improve the quality of life of children in difficult circumstances around the world regardless of race, faith or political orientation and uphold their rights according to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. The mission of Terre des Hommes Netherlands is that the rights of vulnerable children and their families are respected, so that children can properly develop their potential in a safe environment. Terre des Hommes Netherlands prevents children from being exploited; removes children from exploitative situations and ensures these children can develop themselves in a safe environment.

4. Childs i Foundation (CiF) was founded in 2009 to focus on promotion of family based care for abandoned children, following the Children’s Act, NSPPI and the Alternative Care Framework. • CiF works to ensure that children are raised in a nurturing family, not institutional care.  As such CiF has piloted and developed successful programmes that can be leveraged and inform the work of other childcare practitioners.

5. Why ‘Strong Beginnings’? • Approximately 800 orphanages / residential care institutions in Uganda • Less than 30 are licensed by MGLSD • Approximately 50,000 children in orphanages / institutions • Over 85% have no pro-active resettlement programmes • Over 75% without social work capacity • Over 80% do not have a child protection policy • Over 50% have completely unacceptable care standards • Many children in orphanages are there illegally (no or expired care order) • Nearly 70% have inadequate child records • 95% of orphanage funding comes from the West • Research has shown that children suffer immeasurably when brought up in an institution (even well funded ones) and that family /family based placements are much better and more economical for children, communities and society

6. The project is a result of Terre des Hommes engaging with Alternative Care experts in Uganda, MGLSD and other stakeholders (UNICEF / ChildFund etc) and is a significant milestone in field of Alternative Care. It supports the advancement and promotion of children remaining and growing up in families in line with government policy and best child protection and child development practises.

7. Key Project Activities Build the capacity of 18 private institutions to deliver government policy on alternative care (gatekeeping, resettlement and family placements) Work with 2 government institutions – build capacity / resettle children Sensitise community to the damage of institutional care Support Government in assessing, reporting and regulating institutions Establish the Alternative Care Panel within Government Provide a blueprint through effective monitoring and evaluation Develop curriculum for government policy on Alternative Care

8. Benefactors / Goals • 20% reduction in partner Child Care Institution’s population • 21 community sensitisation reaching 600 people • 10 radio shows on dangers of institutional care • 20 bespoke programmes of trainings for CCI’s on prevention • 20 CCI’s demonstrate active gatekeeping/prevention and correspondent case work • 500 children traced and reintegrated into family care • 20 CCI’s passed Government Assessments, trained and supported • 120 visits for L&D to partner CCI’s • 100 families receive IGA support • 226 Assessments of CCI’s (initial assessments or follow-ups) • 113 action plans for CCI’s completed • 18 National Panel meetings hosted by secretariat • 175 Children receiving improved high quality care • Learning and Development curriculum produced • 150 staff trained on government policy practices for resettlement / alternative care • Ugandans Adopt campaign receives 1100 enquiries

9. Partners • Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development – work with partners on project implementation, provide advice and guidance and provide the necessary resources / inputs to ensure project success • Child’s i foundation – Lead Organisation – develop and build capacity of the targeted 20 CCI’s - raise the standards, improve gate-keeping, resettlement of children and provide family based alternative care • ANPPCAN – support targeted and agreed Government Institutions to resettle children and strengthen families • Alternative Care Initiatives – provision of technical resources for supporting MGLSD inspection team and develop an official Alternative Care Secretariat • Makerere– Develop Monitoring and Evaluation tools in order to create a blueprint for the rest of the country and develop a national curriculum • Terre des Hommes Netherlands – technical support, organizational capacity building and advice

10. Partner – Inputs / Actions • Work within, and promote, the Government guidelines and policy for children without parental care – Children’s Act of Uganda, Alternative Care Framework and Approved Homes Regulations • Open and transparent dialogue with MGLSD and PSWO’s • Report cases of abuse and mismanagement (discovered during assessments etc) to the necessary authorities • Highlightconcerns issues in a sensitive way according to guidelines to be provided by MGLSD • Work with other key stakeholders in order to develop an holistic response to children without appropriate care (child helpline, OVC, NCC, NCPWG etc) • Submit Quarterly report to MGLSD • Uphold values and ethics in accordance with Government of Uganda • Advocate for additional funding for other related services / support that are identified as a part of the project

11. Many national and international eyes are on this programme - working together we can change the lives of many children and families AND prove that our policies can and do workContactsTracy Kyagulanyi, Executive Director tracy@childsifoundation.org , 0776110331 Mark Riley, Interim Project Manager, mark.riley@alternative-care-initiatives.org , 0784350921