A family for every child
One of the challenges that has been raised in the orphanages is the lack of fostering of older children, as families always tend to foster younger kids, leaving the older kids behind.
The Ministry of Social Affairs in the Maldives has launched the transformative program 'A Family for Every Child,' aimed at ending institutionalized care for children and ensuring that every child grows up in a nurturing family environment. The core objective of the program is to provide families with the opportunity to foster or adopt children currently under state care, emphasizing the importance of familial bonds for the well-being and development of children.
While the culture of fostering and adopting children is a fairly common practice around the world, when it comes to the Maldives there are still major hurdles to fostering. In addition to the taboo nature of the topic due to the lack of fostering in the country, those who want to foster are often faced with major challenges leading to the fostering process taking much longer than anticipated, oftentimes leading to failure.
With such hurdles, one other challenge that has been raised in the orphanages is the lack of fostering of older children, as families always tend to foster younger kids, leaving the older kids behind. With this, some of the kids in the orphanage grow up never knowing a real family, being forced to experience the world on their own after they leave behind the orphanage - the only home they know throughout their lives.
With this, one of the core factors that is acknowledged by the new initiative is that while the option for fostering has been available to families willing to care for children, older children have often faced challenges in finding suitable homes, as families commonly express a preference for infants. 'A Family for Every Child' seeks to eliminate such barriers by promoting inclusivity and advocating for the placement of children, regardless of age, in caring family environments.
In the Maldives, adoption is not considered a primary option, as the core principle revolves around reuniting families. The overarching goal is to actively engage children with their birth families, fostering a process that aims to address and resolve the underlying disputes that led families to place their children in orphanages initially. For children unable to return to their birth families due to specific circumstances, the program aims to provide an opportunity for families willing to care for these children on either a temporary or permanent basis.
'A Family for Every Child' program stands as a pivotal step toward reshaping the landscape of child care in the Maldives, fostering a culture of inclusivity, love, and family support for every child in need. This initiative brings some hope for children who are often forgotten to finally find loving homes, and get some guidance in navigating the difficulties of the world.
