The National Strategy for the Alternative Care of Children and Youth was the main topic of a recent meeting between the Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine el-Qabbaj and Flavia Shaw-Jackson, Executive Director of Belgian Foundation FACE for Children in Need to discuss co-operation.
In fact, the alternative care strategy has been at the forefront of discussions on children in need in Egypt in recent years. However, the term ‘alternative’ is important to note, because the strategy is indeed a holistic view of placing children in foster care.
The strategy itself has been thoroughly though out and goes beyond the mere shepherding of orphans and homeless children into care homes with the possibility of placing them with suitable foster parents.
Alternative Care of Children and Youth has been formulated as a means to provide the best care for every child and young person in Egypt from 2021 to 2030, arising from an integrated perspective on a child’s health, social development and cognitive development with a view to a future career.
The strategy takes into account ‘systems’, defining who does what and how efforts are linked to those of other parties concerned. For example, finding homes for children entails vetting prospective foster parents, medical examination to assess the child’s overall health, co-ordinating with the ministry to ensure that the child’s rights and interests are protected, and consulting with the child’s biological parent(s), if any, not to mention background checks as to whether the child has been subjected to neglect or abuse.
Foster children are not simply placed with a family and that is the end of the story. Officials from the ministry or representatives of relevant non-governmental organisations (NGOs) monitor the child’s development, interactions with the new family, schooling and possibly vocational training.
El-Qabbaj reviewed the plan to expand the system of sponsorship of children in alternative foster families. Again, another key word is ‘sponsorship’, particularly in view of the increasing trend towards foster care as opposed to institutional care.
According to recent statistics, 14,000 foster families are looking after 14,300 children.
Mothers’ Care Association chairman Raafat Zaki told The Egyptian Gazette that the strategy is the contribution of the civil society to reduce the burden on the Ministry of Solidarity.
“This is out-of-the-box thinking now that the ministry is working with other parties to protect children and provide them with suitable environment for their growth,” Zaki said.
