Children in Families
Research has shown what parents and a majority of the care community have long believed: that children have the best opportunity to thrive in safe, nourishing, and loving family environments.
Partnering with Champions in Care Reform
GHR and our partners envision a world in which the entire care sector places the child’s holistic well-being at the heart and, in the process, reduces recourse to institutional care. This reorientation will necessarily involve partnering boldly for deep collaboration among governments, nonprofits, civil society, the private sector, and local communities.
Through our Children in Families (CIF) initiative, GHR supports Catholic sisters and other key faith actors who lead with love as critical agents of change in care. To prevent children from being separated from their families in the first place, we also learn and collaborate to ensure systems overall are oriented toward family preservation and strengthening. And because alternatives to family care are sometimes necessary, we work alongside partners to ensure care is of high quality and for the shortest possible duration. We work towards this goal by:
Through our Children in Families (CIF) initiative, GHR supports Catholic sisters and other key faith actors who lead with love as critical agents of change in care. To prevent children from being separated from their families in the first place, we also learn and collaborate to ensure systems overall are oriented toward family preservation and strengthening. And because alternatives to family care are sometimes necessary, we work alongside partners to ensure care is of high quality and for the shortest possible duration. We work towards this goal by:
- Supporting the leadership of Sisters and champions in care reform.
- Applying systems change learning for long term sustainability.
- Expanding donor support across the sector.
A Shared Vision for Change to Improve Outcomes for Children
|
Extensive research has shown that children have the best opportunity to thrive in safe, nourishing, and loving family environments. Families around the world will always face shocks, from homelessness to natural disasters to job loss. Some shocks may prevent children from being with their families for short periods, but GHR believes they should not be separated long-term. Related, GHR supports the building of robust social systems to protect families from shocks--or at least, ensure they do not result in drastic outcomes, such as separation.
Recognizing that faith leaders are essential partners in the development of more just, equitable societies, GHR works to support Catholic sisters and other key faith actors leading the effort to improve care for children. Per a recent evaluation of Catholic Care for Children in Uganda (CCCU), a project of the Association of Religious in Uganda, nearly 1,000 children have been re-united or placed with families with support from Catholic sisters and brothers trained in social work and case management and resourced with state-of-the-art tools. This model has been replicated by Catholic sisters in Zambia and Kenya. The example of sisters from Africa spurred the International Union of Superiors General (UISG/Rome) to launch Catholic Care for Children International in October 2020, to support Catholic sisters across the globe in efforts to reduce recourse to institutional care for children in favor of family- and community-based approaches. Through CIF, GHR works to support the movement for care reform spearheaded by CCC. |
|
Partnership At a Glance
The Foundation has partnered with the Faith to Action network on research that aims to better understand U.S. Christian beliefs around and support for orphanages, children’s homes and other forms of residential care for children. The resultant findings offer valuable data on the amount of funding given to residential care, as well as visits and short-term missions to orphanages.
Relatedly, GHR partnered with The Lancet on a recent study examining the impact of COVID-19 on children and families.
GHR collaborated with Catholic Care for Children International (CCCI), the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) on the regional portrait, a first-of-its-kind foundational study on Catholic care. Focused on east Africa, the regional portrait offers data and information on care reform and the significant shifts and progress led by Catholic sisters in the region.
Relatedly, GHR partnered with The Lancet on a recent study examining the impact of COVID-19 on children and families.
GHR collaborated with Catholic Care for Children International (CCCI), the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) on the regional portrait, a first-of-its-kind foundational study on Catholic care. Focused on east Africa, the regional portrait offers data and information on care reform and the significant shifts and progress led by Catholic sisters in the region.
Grant Seeker Information
GHR works to respond to the needs of our communities in Minneapolis and around the world, with our focus on existing partners and individuals they serve. Unfortunately, that means we are unable to fund many extremely worthwhile efforts. While opportunities for partnership may be reviewed by GHR staff, we are unable to respond to every unsolicited request.
