This is Suman’s story. His mother sends him to a child care home due to difficult circumstances at home but is that the best option for him?

Children grow best physically, socially and intellectually when they live with their own families or in a community setting. Living with their parents or family; getting their love and care is children’s fundamental right. In Nepal 39,888 children are without appropriate care due to poverty, death of parents, abuse, violence and humanitarian disasters. In a situation where children cannot live with their immediate families they should be placed under kinship care or with another family within the same community. However, when these options are not available children can be sent to child care homes for the shortest duration possible. It is important to develop a long term plan and provide necessary support to the child before opting for child care homes.

Save the Children has been implementing “Creating Safe Communities” project in Sunsari, Kalikot, Mugu, Kailali and Achham districts of Nepal. The project mainly focuses in strengthening child protection system at community and national levels for creating an environment to provide family and community based care to children. It also aims to prevent family separation, provide reintegration support to the children separated from their families and establish a system of monitoring, reporting and responding to child rights violations.

To learn more about Save the Children’s programs in Nepal, visit
www.nepal.savethechildren.net