Charity Archives - Martin James Foundation

Championing Those with Lived Experience of Care

Martin James Foundation — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 07:44:50 +0000

An Interview with Pooja Udayan

The Martin James Foundation warmly welcomes Pooja Udayan as our new Programme Advisor. Pooja, who grew up in a childcare institution in India, brings a wealth of personal experience and a desire to improve the lives of children and young adults with lived experience of care. She is acutely aware of the long road ahead to ensure that alternative care provides the quality education, nurturing, and support essential for young individuals to thrive.

With her unique insights, Pooja is poised to bring a fresh perspective to our work. Guiding us with her expertise, Pooja will play a pivotal role in shaping the programmes and partnerships that MJF proudly supports.

We recently spoke with Pooja to hear more about her experiences and the initiatives she is part of to support young people with lived experience of care.

Question: Could you briefly share your journey from childhood to your current endeavours?

Answer: I lost my mother in an accident at one and my father to illness by seven. My siblings and I struggled to cope until we were taken in by a child care institution (CCI), a stark shift from our previous family life. There, despite the challenges, I adapted and thrived, thanks to the strong focus on education and support.

I earned a degree in Social Work Studies from Galgotias University, which was enriched by internships that focused on empowering young girls and supporting children with disabilities. My career path led me to meaningful roles at Genpact and Croma, advocating for education and women’s empowerment.

As a Chevening Scholar, I recently completed an MSc in Development Studies from SOAS, University of London. My commitment is to support children and young adults from care backgrounds, ensuring they receive quality education and care. I’m actively involved with the India Care Leavers’ Network and youth initiatives in Delhi, providing mentorship and advocating for the rights and needs of care leavers.

Q: What are the primary challenges those growing up and transitioning out of care face?

A: The primary challenge is educational—children entering care late often struggle academically. Even graduates from top schools can find it hard to adjust and connect. They may face neglect from school faculty and receive less help, often due to misconceptions about their abilities and interests.

Transitioning out of care presents hurdles, such as a lack of life skills and mentorship for independent living, which can lead to unemployment and reliance on menial jobs. Unprocessed trauma and societal stigma further complicate their journey into adulthood.

Care leavers often move through multiple CCIs, disrupting their education and emotional bonds. This instability can leave them feeling like commodities rather than individuals with unique needs and potential.

As they re-enter society, the absence of a structured release plan from CCIs covering financial literacy, career counselling, and basic life skills adds to their challenges. Education delays and a lack of job readiness compound these issues, leading to continued financial dependence on NGOs, which are already strained for resources.

Efforts at family tracing and deinstitutionalisation are often hampered by insufficient funding and support, leaving many care leavers in a precarious position as they strive to integrate into society.

Q: What actions should policymakers and decision-makers take to better support children and young adults transitioning from care?

A: Children separated from their biological families are particularly vulnerable and often become overly dependent on care institutions, leaving them ill-prepared for life at 18. The government must recognise them as a vulnerable group within our legal and policy framework.

In India, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Women and Child Development need to implement intervention programs that support care levers financially and in their transition to independence. This includes academic and professional support across all states, similar to the 2% reservation for Care Leavers in higher education institutions provided by the Maharashtrian government.

We must accelerate deinstitutionalisation efforts, ensuring that government bodies, NGOs, and other stakeholders collaborate effectively for the timely reintegration of these young adults. This encompasses family tracing, reunification, and financial backing for these processes.

Housing support is also critical. Care leavers should be included in housing schemes, with clear guidelines on rental agreements and budget allocations to provide them with stability and security.

Furthermore, many care leavers struggle with obtaining essential identity documents and permanent addresses necessary to access welfare schemes and developmental programs. Streamlining this process is essential to ensure they can navigate the administrative system and fully benefit from available support.

Q: What specific policy or practice changes are you advocating for to improve the transition out of care?

A: I’m advocating for extended mentoring for care leavers, starting from age 16 up to their mid-20s, to ensure a stable transition into society. This includes maintaining access to support from CCIs and establishing a network for care leavers to share experiences and receive guidance.

Educationally, I’m pushing for scholarships at Indian universities and increased access to vocational training under existing government schemes to enhance care leavers’ job prospects. Additionally, CCIs should collaborate with corporates to prepare care leavers for the workforce.

On the government front, I propose mandated funding for state aftercare programs and one-time financial aid for care leavers to cover initial living costs, facilitating a smoother reintegration into mainstream society.

Q: What advice would you offer to individuals with lived experience of care to leverage their experiences to enhance the care system and facilitate a smoother transition for those ageing out of care?

A: I’d urge them to voice their insights for improving the care system. For example, if they faced hurdles in accessing higher education, they could pave the way for current residents in CCIs by initiating dialogues with universities to establish scholarships tailored for care-experienced youth. Their unique challenges and experiences are invaluable; they hold the power to transform the care landscape and better the lives of those who walk a similar path.

Working with Care Experienced Leaders

Martin James Foundation — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 07:30:39 +0000

In the social and alternative care sectors, there’s nothing quite as powerful as the perspective of someone who’s been there.

Over the past two years, our partner in India, Udayan Care, has underscored this by welcoming six young individuals with lived experiences of care to their fold—in roles ranging from trainees and interns to social workers. This decision isn’t merely tokenistic; it’s strategic and meaningful. By doing so, Udayan Care ensures that their work, programmes, and support mechanisms for children, young people, families and communities are steered by those who know the journey firsthand.

This proactive approach aligns with global trends, and Udayan Care has learned from listening to and interacting with people with lived experience of care from around the world. They’ve also embraced insights from the Biennial International Conference on Alternative Care for Children in Asia (BICON), which urged organisations to include the perspectives and expertise of people with lived experience within their work.

In commemoration of Care Leavers’ Week 2023, we hear from each young person working with Udayan Care about their roles, journeys, and the life chapters that inspired them to work in the social care sector.

Raja, a young social worker, works in the community supporting family-strengthening initiatives to prevent children from being separated from their parents and family breakdown.

He grew up living in Child Care Institutions (CCI) and often witnessed random people helping children who had been separated from their families due to various circumstances. Raja developed a sense of empathy and a desire to help others experiencing similar situations. His current role is major a tick on his bucket list. The aspect of his work that he finds most challenging is observing the conditions many families face when they do not have a sufficient source of livelihood and depend on immediate intervention.

Due to growing up in a similar situation, he is able to connect well with the community members going through these hardships. As a social worker, he says, “More youth with lived experience of care must join the social workforce sector to address the disparities and vulnerabilities to work on solutions”.

Mausumi is a care-experienced young individual from Guwahati, Assam, where she earned her degree from Guwahati University. She currently holds the position of Senior Program Coordinator at Udayan Care in Delhi and serves as the Chairperson of the Assam Care Leavers Association (ACLA). Since joining the Care Leavers Network, Mausumi has felt an increasing sense of strength and unity. The close-knit bond within the group and her ability to positively impact their lives have bolstered her courage. Driven by her personal experiences, she is determined to support fellow young people with lived experience, hoping they can circumvent some hurdles she faced.

Mausumi reflects, “Flying is a burden. Even if you have to fall sometimes, dreams have to be fulfilled even if you have to fight with yourself.”

Sohail grew up in a CCI after being separated from his family due to an economic crisis. When the family was at their lowest point of dealing with the crisis, Sohail, still a young person, started thinking about ways to strengthen and support his family and started looking for a job in the social workforce.

He joined Udayan Care and works at the community level to strengthen families, ensuring children aren’t unnecessarily separated from their parents as he was. In his role, he’s encountered resistance from time to time from families to embrace change. With time, though, Sohail drew on his past experience to adapt his approach as a social worker to connect more with the families and deepen trust. As of today, whenever Sohail enrols children from the community in vocational training or courses, he thinks back to the time when he received the same kind of support.

As a social worker, he strongly believes in the mantra, “Making one change in yourself will change the perception of the next youth to give back to society”.

Surja entered a CCI at the age of 12 and felt she was supported to grow in confidence, language proficiency, and understanding of life. Even through ups and downs, Surja was grateful for the wonderful guidance and support of her mentor at the CCI. She followed her heart and faced challenges to become independent and work towards a secure future. During the time when Surja struggled with school admission due to lack of documents and being labelled an orphan, she was supported by a journalist and her CCI mentors, which invoked a sense of supporting people who struggle to achieve their dreams due to lack of guidance or support. It also demonstrated the necessity for care experienced young people to have access to guidance and advocacy.

Recently, she’s been selected as a LIFT (Learning in Fellowship Together) fellow, giving her a platform to advocate for care-experienced youth through her powerful writing skills. Her writing, in which she shares her experiences as a care leaver, has been published on many channels and is impacting change to strengthen the transition for children leaving care. She’s also part of the Care Leavers Network and is planning to launch a network in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, to be empowered together with her fellow care-experienced peers in the state.

Surja says, “Even with challenges, one must learn to voice out and tap in the concerned authorities and stakeholders who could help improve the situation of the care experienced youth”.

Dany spent 18 years in a Child Care Institute (CCI), where she received support, ensuring a secure childhood and quality education. She observed dedicated social workers who tirelessly supported her and her peers throughout her years there. Profoundly influenced by their passion, she considers them her mentors. Their dedication inspired Dany to become an advocate for fellow care leavers, understanding the vital importance of emotional support, especially as she faced challenges in this area after leaving care.

Currently, Dany serves as a Program Coordinator for the Aftercare Outreach Program at Udayan Care, where she empowers the youth, helping them navigate their unique challenges. She believes that while everyone faces trials, the intensity differs for those with care experience. Dany often remarks, “If I could compare myself to anything, it would be a seed. Grow wherever you are.”

Mohsin entered the social workforce motivated to give back to society and implement change after growing up in care.

Today he is proud to be part of an organisation where he works with children in and transitioning out of alternative care and offers psychological support to youth. He prioritises raising awareness within families that need family strengthening through legal and social support.

Growing up in a CCI, he often felt alone, unheard, and left out of the community. As a social worker, he strives to create a safe space where the children he supports can honestly share their feelings and empower them to use their voices. As a care leaver, he can visualise a bright future for the young people he’s supporting. Furthermore, as laws are amended and schemes and programs are improved, life for care leavers is slowly but steadily improving.

Mohsin shares that social work is very important, especially for the child who is growing up in an institution. “Every decision a social worker makes must be in the interest of the child because I think the future of every child largely depends on the ability of a social worker. Their efforts and decisions can make the child’s life bright”.

EPIC: Our Story

Martin James Foundation — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:31:20 +0000

EPIC was conceived in 2018 and borne out of a passion and desire to empower entrepreneurial young people to realise their business dreams. Since the start, its purpose has been to close the gap that can exist for some young people due to adverse life factors and provide them with real, meaningful opportunities and the chance to fulfil their potential. Being part of the Martin James Foundation and its global network of organisations, the team already had a long and successful history of creating inclusive communities by improving outcomes for young people and families globally. This experience, coupled with the desire to empower more young people utilising the business start-up expertise of its founders and resources from across the Martin James Network, created the focus of EPIC to do something more locally and give back to the community in the West Midlands. EPIC initially started via a partnership with the Birmingham Care Leavers Association as a place to refer young people who had a dream and the will to set up their own businesses. Funding was raised from corporate sponsors and events, mentors were identified from leaders within the Martin James Network, and services were allocated from the Network’s businesses as part of their CSR strategies. This approach enabled the team to provide young people with the incubation support they needed, from legal advice to branding and budgeting.

Since then, the team has helped more than 40 young people to launch their business ideas. In addition, many more young people have been empowered with small grants during the COVID-19 pandemic and to create educational content through a partnership with BeatFreeks.

With a passion for continually enhancing the programme, in early 2022, the team structured the Young Business programme. It now provides three core aspects of support: skills masterclasses, which equip young people with the knowledge and information to be able to nurture and sustain their businesses; mentoring from a specialist who has experience and connections of working in a sector aligned with their business venture; and funding to help with initial start-up essentials. More than 15 young entrepreneurs have graduated from the Young Business Programme.

Ayyab and Jim Cockburn, co-founders of EPIC share their thoughts about what inspired them to start EPIC.

“In the work that we do as part of the Martin James Foundation, we have seen how crucial supportive community structures are, whether they’re familial, workplace or societal, in all our lives, to help us grow, develop and thrive. As we grow and expand to empower more young people across the Midlands and throughout the UK, we remain steadfast in our vision that all young people, no matter their background and life experience, deserve a chance at entrepreneurialism and we need to create the support structures to enable this. Creating EPIC Futures for our generation and the ones to come, absolutely depends upon it!”

The second annual EPIC Young Entrepreneur Awards are taking place on 15 September in Birmingham, UK. To learn more or purchase tickets, please visit the event page.

Calum Sawford, COO of the Martin James Foundation and Programme Lead for EPIC shares,

“We firmly believe in nurturing and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of young individuals, and the EPIC Young Entrepreneur Awards serve as a platform to celebrate their remarkable journeys.”

Learn more about EPIC by visiting https://www.epicfuture.co.uk/.

From Madagascar to Australia: Reflections on foster care in various cultures

Martin James Foundation — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:30:37 +0000

Lanto Robivelo is the National Director of our partner organisation, FAMadagascar. As a Board Member of the International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO), he recently travelled to Australia to attend the IFCO Conference in Darwin. As Lanto seeks to develop foster care in Madagascar, with funding and technical assistance from MJF, we were also glad to connect him with our affiliate organisation, Key Assets Australia, for a visit where he had the opportunity to learn about foster care within their context. He shares reflections from his trip below.

As a social worker and the National Director of FAMadagascar, I am always eager to learn from others in the field and share my experiences. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that in Australia.

International Foster Care Organisation Conference

I am a board member of the International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO), and I recently attended the IFCO Conference in Darwin, Australia, which focused on cultural identity, family-based alternative care, and foster care. As a Board Member, I supported the conference by preparing information about global child protection, particularly highlighting African contexts, including Madagascar.

The conference was an excellent opportunity to learn about the best practices and challenges of foster care, during and after placements, in different countries and cultural contexts. We explored how trauma can impact children, foster carers, therapists, and social workers and how important it is to understand the cultural needs of people, for example, Indigenous people. One thing that stood out to me was the question of what happens to young people with care experience when they turn 18 and whether they have the support they need to stand up as they begin to transition out of care or if more diverse support is required for them to thrive.

Visiting Key Assets Australia

After the conference, I visited Key Assets Australia (KAA) in Perth, Western Australia, for two days. During my time there, I learned about KAA’s core values and strategies for their foster care programs. Plus, I spent an entire day with their team to learn about their work processes, tools, jurisdictions, and strategies they have and try to put in place. I also observed their identification of foster carers process and “shadowed” a team on a visit to a future foster care family. I was impressed by KAA’s commitment to forming a “family bond” with families and the training and communication they provide

I was particularly inspired by the devotion of a single woman who is a future foster carer. Her professionalism and devotion showed me that many people in this world can make a difference.

Everything I observed and learned impressed me, and I would like to introduce some of this learning to our organisation, FAM, especially as I realised there are many similarities between Madagascar and Australia, such as weather, indigenous culture, people’s attitudes and conduct. One thing that would be beneficial to bring back to Madagascar is the process of connecting NGOs like FAM with the judiciary system/judges through technology, which could have a significant impact in resolving problems during emergencies involving children. Additionally, I hope to adapt elements of the identification of foster carers process used by KAA, as well as the training and communication strategies, to help future social workers in Madagascar better understand gatekeeping, child protection and the responsibilities of foster carers.

KAA staff shared that they learned a lot about the Madagascar context, including some of the challenges we face and how these can be addressed and even avoided within their work.

In conclusion, my trip to Australia was a memorable and valuable experience. I learned much about the importance of team, commitment, communication, and identification of carers in foster care. I plan to bring these lessons back to Madagascar to help improve our child protection and foster care system.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Care

Martin James Foundation — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:48:47 +0000

A guest post from Marli Senecal, a Foster Support Worker with our affiliated organisation Key Assets Ontario in Canada. Marli is aware of the rewards and challenges of fostering. Along with her colleagues, she provides regular training for foster carers on a variety of topics, including caring for children and young people who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. She shares some of her insights below.

2SLGBTQ+ is an acronym that stands for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning and additional sexual orientations and gender identities. “Two-Spirit” is a term used within certain Indigenous communities, including in Canada, to encompass aspects of cultural, spiritual, sexual, and gender identity. It reflects the intricate understanding of gender roles, spirituality, and the rich history of sexual and gender diversity present in Indigenous cultures.

Foster carers open their hearts and homes to young people, and in doing so, they embark on a journey of learning and understanding. The fostering experience can bring up a range of unfamiliar topics, such as emotional, cultural, and religious differences. To support foster carers in navigating these challenges, many fostering agencies provide training opportunities on various topics.

Training

In many pieces of training regarding diversity and inclusion, the 2SLGBTQ+ community is mentioned but not necessarily focused on directly. This can be positive and negative, as it is essential to recognise that young people have multiple interests and needs that extend beyond their sexual and gender identity. We cannot support a 2SLGBTQ+ young person without supporting cultural, religious, emotional, and developmental needs. Unfortunately, that means that sometimes Foster Carers may not get the opportunity to ask further questions in training that may be more directed to 2SLGBTQ+.

Many resources are available online and within their local communities for foster carers who want to deepen their understanding of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Websites such as MindOut UK, LGBTQ+ Youth in Care, The Trevor Project, and The Be You Project offer a wealth of information, including reading materials, F.A.Qs, and training opportunities.

Advocacy and Validation

In addition to ongoing education, I also emphasise the importance of advocacy, validation, and creating a safe space for young people. Depression and anxiety rates are higher than average amongst 2SLGBTQ+ people, often stemming from the inability to be open about who they are without repercussions like bullying or invalidation from their loved ones and friends. In some cases, they are ostracised from their community and family due to cultural and religious beliefs.

When we advocate for 2SLGBTQ+ young people, it is not limited to the Foster Care Agency and Social Workers but extends to advocating for:

respect within their school placements,
correcting usage of their preferred pronouns and names,
ensuring medical professionals do not invalidate their thoughts and feelings around their identity,
access to health information and crisis contacts,
opportunities to meet with others from their community and mentorship programs.

Validation is critical as it shows the young person that they are heard and respected and helps them feel confident in their identity. Advocacy and validation are skills and actions that often go hand in hand and can be developed over time with practice.

Creating Safe Spaces

Lastly, I want to highlight the importance of creating a safe space in the home where young people feel accepted and valued and can be themselves without fear of judgement. Many of them will come from homes where their identity was not accepted. Feeling displaced or lacking belonging might have become the norm for the young person, and this will impact their relationships and attachments in the future. Foster carers can help lay the foundation for resilience and healthy relationships in young people’s lives by creating safe and nurturing spaces where they know there will always be a place somewhere they can feel invited, cared for and at home.

Key Assets Ontario, part of the Martin James Foundation, is a non-profit organisation providing a range of services, including foster care, child and youth support services, training and consultancy services.

Petra’s Journey as a Foster Carer in Uganda

Martin James Foundation — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:02:43 +0000

(Names changed to protect identity)

Meet Petra, a beacon of hope for children in need of foster care in Uganda. She has opened her heart and home to provide love, support, and a sense of belonging to children needing family-based alternative care.

Her journey with foster care began in 2019 when a church announcement was made appealing to the community to open their homes for children in institutions, including orphanages. Petra registered her interest in learning more about fostering, and over the following months, she went through a series of foster care training from Child’s i Foundation where she learned how to take care of, nurture and mentor the children. After successfully completing the training, she was approved by the District Alternative Care panel to be a foster carer.

Eager to begin her journey as a foster carer, she faced several delays due to the pandemic. Still, she remained hopeful and within a few months, she welcomed two children into her life and home.

Feeling fulfilled caring for the children, Petra was surprised when she was approached about caring for a third child.

“One day, I received a call from Pauline, a social worker with Child’s i. She told me a one-year-old, Teddy needed a family and asked if I could care for her along with the other children. I immediately accepted her,” says Petra.

Soon after Petra welcomed Teddy, she noticed potential medical concerns.

“She could not walk or sit up, and I saw wounds on her forehead. I decided to take her to the hospital.”

The doctor explained that Teddy has epilepsy and Down syndrome, and possibly autism as well. The doctor gave her epilepsy medication, and soon she stabilised and could engage in movements.

While Petra was not expecting to care for a child with a disability, she says the training she received and her desire to care for children was all she needed.

“It has been a privilege to care for Teddy. All one needs is to love the child…It’s important to take care of children with disabilities without any discrimination. They need love, and they need a family.”

The other children in Petra’s care welcomed Teddy warmly and connected well with her. They play together, allowing her to develop fine motor skills and other movements by mimicking their play.

Petra also quickly points out that foster care takes support and commitment from the wider community.

“My mother has supported me. She accepted us. Church members are always encouraging and praying for me, and the social worker has encouraged me and continuously monitored how we are doing. The community nurse, Fridah, has always attended all hospital appointments and advises on nutrition and other health related opinions,” she says.

Since moving to Petra’s home, Teddy has been thriving and reaching new milestones daily.

Through our partnership with Child’s i Foundation, we are proud to support foster carers like Petra, who make a real difference for children needing alternative family-based care.

Petra’s story is a testament to the transformative power of love and the difference one can make by offering children a chance to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment.

She encourages other community members to follow her lead. “I appeal to people to accept children with disabilities because they need a family, love and parents to have a sense of belonging.”

Learn more about our partnership with Child’s i Foundation here.

Engaging with creativity to bolster mental health

Kara Cousins-Kamari — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 05:30:33 +0000

Decades of research demonstrate how growing up in an orphanage can have harmful impacts on children and young people’s development and mental health. We’re grateful to work alongside partners who prioritise mental health as they deliver family-based services and contribute to the global efforts in deinstitutionalisation, working to end the era of orphanages.

Through our partnership with Udayan Care, we are supporting over 94 children in Delhi to reintegrate with their families and community from institutional care.

Udayan Care’s interventions prioritise holistically supporting the entire family through this transition, not only the child or children returning home.

Reshma’s family is one of them.

Following many years in a children’s home, 17-year-old Reshma was abruptly reunited with her family due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The transition initially proved to be challenging for her.

As the middle child of five siblings, she was tasked with undertaking household responsibilities while her parents worked. She felt dissatisfied with the lack of personal time and independence being back at home, which started to affect her self-esteem and mental health.

Srishti, one of Udayan Care’s counsellors, started facilitating counselling sessions with each family member. She reflects,

“When I first met Reshma’s family, they were quite reserved. Building rapport with them was a bit difficult and took time”.

As trust was built, Srishti organised a joint counselling session between Reshma and her mother, in which Reshma shared about struggling with her mental health during the transition home. Her mother, empathetic to Reshma’s situation, encouraged her to follow her dreams of studying sewing and honing her creative skills.

However, her father struggled to see the importance of such creative endeavours and did not allow her to pursue them.

Sometime later, Srishti began counselling sessions with her father and encouraged him to explore his daughter’s perspective.

“These sessions had an impact on him, and after a week of self-reflection, he became more positive and appreciated my work, and he was motivated to enrol his daughter in the sewing course”, says Srishti.

The Udayan Care team has since supported Reshma with updating her identification and enrolling her and her brother in the National Institute of Open Schooling to complete their education in parallel with their certificate courses, including a 6-month sewing course offered by a local NGO. Regular sessions with the counsellor and follow-ups are helping her regain her inner confidence, which is evident to everyone.

Reshma takes sewing classes

Srishti shares, “Currently, Reshma is doing well in his midterm exams, and we look forward to seeing what she does next. I have observed a difference in her confidence, communication and perspective”.

A keen student, Reshma has already created new designs for traditional clothing, such as suits, beaded kurtas, and various sleeve patterns, giving her immense joy and the motivation to launch a social enterprise within the community. She not only wants to learn the professional skills of tailoring but wants to impart the training to the whole community. She aspires to become a role model for other girls her age looking for a similar kind of course.

“I overheard neighbours telling my mother they are seeing me grow and wished for more success. This boosted my self-esteem and motivates me every day”, says Reshma.

With the continued family-strengthening support, including phone calls, home visits and counselling, Udayan Care staff are optimistic that Reshma and her entire family will continue to grow and support one another to fulfil their aspirations.

To learn more about our work with Udayan Care, visit https://martinjames.foundation/partner-udayan-care/

Supporting Kinship Carers in Thailand

Kara Cousins-Kamari — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 07:32:33 +0000

Along the Thai/Myanmar border district of Sangkhlaburi, Thailand, our partner One Sky provides family support, including kinship care and advocates for care reform.

Through our partnership, we provide technical support and funding to support kinship care families at risk of being separated due to poverty, resulting in children ending up in orphanages.

To mark #KinshipCareWeek2022, the One Sky team shared this story about a kinship case they are closely supporting.

After experiencing the loss of her first husband, a mother with three young children remarried only to discover her new partner had no interest in caring for or supporting her children. Unsure of what to do, she approached close neighbours about caring for her children. Luckily, with some financial support from her, the neighbours agreed. Sadly, she also passed shortly after, but the neighbours decided to continue caring for the three children in addition to their two biological children.

While children’s homes, including orphanages, are typical in the area, the carers did not pursue this option as they were determined to provide a good life for the children. However, they struggled to find food and keep the children in school. As with many migrant children, the siblings, ages 13, 15, and 17, started attending school late and are all currently in grade 7 (first year of secondary). The eldest girl was forced to drop out of school to help at home and find an income.

One Sky immediately started providing financial assistance of 1,000 Baht (£24) per month for each of the three children in kinship care. The eldest girl, keen to return to school, is now attending Kossonor classes (Thai informal education system) once a week and has a chance to continue studying for her high school certificate.

Additionally, One Sky has supported the family in beginning an income-generating project to provide a sustainable income stream so they can care and provide for the children in their care. They have opened a roadside fruit and noodle shop, which the eldest girl works in while she’s not attending school.

Andy Lillicrap, One Sky’s cofounder, says,

“I am pleased that the team is looking at income generation opportunities with kinship families. Over time, it will reduce or even cease the monthly financial support we provide once these families can increase their income. We know that not all income-generation ventures will succeed, but when we consider the huge cost of keeping children in children’s homes long-term, the risk of some of these family-based investments not working out doesn’t seem so bad. Had these three children moved into a local children’s home, the cost per month for each child would be at least 4,000 Baht (£96). Family-based care, including kinship care, is not only safer and healthier for children, but it’s enormously cheaper.”

In addition to generating an income, this family’s noodle shop is now one of the village-level restaurants signed up to One Sky’s child protection network. They display posters and information about child protection and how to report cases, empowering the community to advocate on behalf of children.

To learn more about One Sky, visit https://martinjames.foundation/partner-one-sky-foundation/

Kinship Care in India

Martin James Foundation — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:44:57 +0000

Reflections from Seema Naaz, PhD, MJF Practice Development Coordinator

Examples from around the world show us many ways children in need of alternative care can be taken care of by their own communities. In countries where childcare and protection systems are developing, community-based mechanisms can be significant in supporting children in need of care by providing informal alternative care arrangements.

Kinship care is the most common form of community-based alternative care in India as well as across the globe. In fact, kinship care is often the only form of alternative care available in many lower-income countries. (UNICEF, 2006)

In the Indian context, kinship care refers to full-time care of a child by a relative, an extended family member or, in some cases, community members in the absence of their parent(s). It is usually managed without formal legal interventions and has been an integral part of Indian culture. However, formal and structured provisions of kinship care have recently been introduced into the Indian childcare system.

Kinship care as a community care support mechanism has been a strong pillar of Indian society, extending support to vulnerable children and families for many decades. Historically, parents in search of employment opportunities have migrated to other states and left their child(ren) in informal kinship care arrangements. This also occurs if a child loses a parent to disease, disaster, or violence, moves in search of better education opportunities, or when families lack the resources to care for the children.

There are many benefits to kinship care including:

It permits family relationships to continue.
It upholds the children within their culture and community
It evades the anxieties associated with the placement of children with unfamiliar adults and families.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of children in India who need a home and alternative care. This could be attributed to the changing social fabric and increased vulnerabilities, especially following the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, the resources to provide alternative family-based care through informal community support systems are becoming scarce. As a result, the traditional systems that existed for decades where communities and extended families would provide family-based alternative care through kinship care are diminishing.

Therefore, aiming to strengthen the community-based care systems and ensure better outcomes for children in alternative care in India, the Government joined hands with the non-profit sector to preserve and support the traditional practice of kinship care. Several policies and programmes to enable this have been introduced. For example, if the extended family requires financial support for the care of the child, this may be provided through sponsorship of the child as provided for in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Or the family may be referred to other schemes and programmes of the Government that strengthen families and community support systems.

A few programmes that aim to support the tradition of Kinship Care include PM Cares Scheme which is a national-level programme in India, Palanhar Scheme is a state-specific scheme of Rajasthan, Parvasrish in Bihar, Bal Sangopan Yojana in Maharashtra, Palak Mata Pita in Gujarat, and Vignana Deepthi in Kerala.

The need of the hour is to have alternative care options and structures in place that are safe, reliable, and sustainable. Kinship care is one such care option that has all these qualities. Hence, before attempting to build new and alternative structures, it is vital to see how existing support systems, such as kinship care, can be strengthened and further empowered.

Join Our Board of Trustees

Martin James Foundation — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 11:11:15 +0000

We are currently seeking volunteers to join our Board of Trustees in the roles of Trustee and Treasurer.

Who we are

The Martin James Foundation is a global network of organisations working in alternative care for children. We believe that children should grow up in families, not in orphanages, and we are working to deliver, empower and influence work to make this a reality.

The role

The Foundation includes independent fostering agencies in Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand (Key Assets), support to foster carers in the UK (FosterTalk), and projects that contribute to the global efforts in deinstitutionalisation. The Martin James Foundation is currently seeking two new Board Members: a Trustee and a Treasurer.

This is an exciting time for the Foundation as we work with a new Board and embark on a process of reflection, discussion and engagement to develop our next strategy. We are looking for individuals who will help to fill skills gaps on our Board and contribute to guiding the charity on its mission to support children and families around the world.

For the Trustee role, we are hoping to attract candidates with a background in community engagement, ideally with children and young people. Applications from people with experience in the practical, operational delivery of community and development projects, either in the UK or internationally, would be highly welcomed.

The Treasurer will have a key role for the Foundation in monitoring the financial standing of the charity and leading the Board’s duty to ensure resources are controlled and utilised in line with governance, legal and regulatory requirements. Previous accountancy experience and knowledge of charity finance, regulation and policy is required for this position.

The average time commitment is approximately six days per year, including four quarterly Board meetings, support to technical sub-committees, and meetings with the leadership team. Board positions are voluntary, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed, and any training costs will be covered. The Martin James Foundation strives to enable a diverse range of participation and contributions, and we welcome applications from all ages and backgrounds. People with lived experience of alternative care, and people from outside of the UK are encouraged to apply.

Click here to learn more about the roles.

Download the Trustee role description.

Download the Treasurer role description.

Please apply below with a cover letter and CV outlining what experience you can bring to the role by 1 October 2022.

If you are interested, we would love to connect with you. If you have questions or would like further information. Please reach out at info@martinjames.foundation