Challenges and Prospects of Children’s Homes: Opportunities for Transition from Dormitory to Family Unit Setup.

Abstract

This study makes a cursory exploration of the challenges and prospects of
transitioning childcare institutions from dormitory to family unit systems to promote
child development. Desk research was utilised as the primary research approach in
this paper, which is part of a wider qualitative research on childcare systems in
Zimbabwe. This was complemented by a systematic literature review. Literature has
indicated that variances in culture and contexts have persistently showcased the
positive effects associated with family care on child development. There are dangers
to children, associated with living outside family care. Accordingly, the present study
proposes interventions that empower families to raise and care for children. In
Zimbabwe, institutional dormitory care has emerged as the most dominant form of
childcare. The responsibility of child placement rests with the Department of Social
Services which unfortunately is known to have a history of being under-resourced to
conduct all the necessary work required. Resultantly, this continually forces the
department to ‘relapse’ and seek the services of non-state institutions as the only
available remedy to their shortcomings. Institutions, which in most cases are organised
in the form of dormitories face a fair share of challenges that affect child development
hence the need to transition to family-based units. Children who suffer mostly from
social problems associated with institutionalization have shown great improvements
when placed in family care spheres.