Govt To Shut Down All Children's Homes & Orphanages in Kenya

The government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, has announced that it plans to close all children's homes and orphanages in Kenya.

The announcement was made on Saturday, September 30 by Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore when she met the Staff and Children at the Child Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK) Temporary Place of Safety in Isiolo County.

The CS announced that the planned closure was part of the government's programme dubbed the Deinstitutionalisation of Children.

CS Florence Bore speaking at Isiolo County while meeting Staff and Children at the Child Welfare Society of Kenya Temporary Place of Safety on September 30, 2023. /FLORENCE BORE

Bore noted that the move to shut down the children's homes was informed by unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of the institutions to engage in human trafficking.

"Deinstitutionalisation of Children is the process of reforming childcare systems and closing down of orphanages and children's homes and in place finding suitable homely placements for vulnerable children and supporting them in non-institutional ways," Bore explained the programme.

The new program will see homeless or rescued children placed in government-identified foster homes, with the CS explaining that most countries in the world have embraced the idea of foster parents.

She added that the concept of foster parents has turned out to be more successful than children's homes.

"World over, this process is being hailed as Children are able to thrive best when raised in at best in a home - These Temporary places of Safety ensure a safe space for rehabilitation as the process of reintegration continues," she went on.

Notably, the government in November 2022 hinted at shutting down children’s homes and orphanages in a push to have children return to families and under community-based care.

“Kenya is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Convention and Protocols on the rights of children and coupled with local laws, family and community remain the best alternative for child upbringing. This new Children’s Act supports the rights of children to grow up in families and communities,” Assistant Director in Charge of Care and Reform at the Directorate of Children’s Services Jane Munuhe stated then. 

The government however noted that this would be done through a 10-year period under the Care Reform Strategy.

Munuhe, who spoke to managers and social workers of orphanages and children’s homes in Kakamega said this was part of the training the Department of Children Services to prepare them for the transition that has been adopted globally.

“The trainees are being taken through the provisions of the Children’s Act and the provision of the care reform strategy with an aim that once they get the knowledge they will be able to initiate the process of ensuring that children go back to their families and the community,” said Munuhe.

She noted that there are 45,000-50,000 children living in about 855 private charitable children’s institutions and others living in government-run institutions.

A photo Child Welfare Society of Kenya Temporary Place of Safety at Isiolo County. /FLORENCE BORE