University of Bath / Thammasat University UK / Bankok Thailand

MJF is funding a research project in Thailand that is exploring children’s experiences of alternative care. The project is a collaboration between the University of Bath in the UK and Thammasat University in Thailand.

This approach seeks to understand the children and families experience as much of the existing research on alternative care has focused on measuring children’s outcomes. The narratives provided by children and families are important as they have the potential to shift public perceptions and influence future policy and practice.

This research will aim to collect and share the experiences of children growing up without the care of parents in settings such as orphanages, residential schools and temples. A child rights perspective underpins this research, with the premise that research about children’s lives needs to include children’s voices. The project uses arts-based methods to understand what it is like to grow up in care in Thailand. So far, the researchers have undertaken fieldwork in Mae Sot, Pattaya, Bangkok and Chiang Mai and have reached over 130 children and young people.


Read More – visit partner websites: University of Bath / Thammasat University

Key Facts – Thailand

Read a comprehensive country profile on Thailand, highlighting the need to develop alternative care systems across the country where only 6% of children in orphanages are orphans. The profile also includes insights about its social care sector, institutional care, child trafficking and more.

Read Full Country Profile here.