Children without parental care: Qualitative alternatives

This issue of Early Childhood Matters can be seen as a logical sequence to our previous issue, on responses to young children in post-emergency situations. As explained in that issue, emergencies such as natural and man-made disasters often put children at an increased risk of becoming temporarily or permanently separated from their families and caregivers. Violence, the hiv/aids pandemic as well as poverty are other reasons why children can find themselves deprived of parental care.

A growing number of children around the world are currently orphaned or otherwise growing up without parents. These children need care and protection, but social policy, influenced by culture, history, politics and many other factors, heavily determine the type of support a child receives.