Nyeri: The government has assured Charitable Children Institutions (CCIs) that they will continue operating despite ongoing reforms aimed at transitioning vulnerable children from institutional care to family and community-based care systems. Nyeri County Children’s Coordinator Joseph Mburu stated that the reforms are not intended to shut down children’s homes but rather to strengthen child protection services while ensuring the institutions remain key partners in supporting vulnerable children.
According to Kenya News Agency, the institutions will continue playing a central role in child welfare by expanding their responsibilities under the new care system. Mburu explained that the institutions will be expected to recruit additional social workers and staff who will monitor the welfare of children placed under foster care, guardianship, adoption, and other family-based arrangements. The resources currently being used within institutions will continue supporting vulnerable children even after they transition into family and community settings.
Mburu emphasized that the institutions would also provide support to children living in child-headed households and other vulnerable family setups requiring assistance. He mentioned that the reforms will require charitable homes to seek additional funding and partnerships to sustain expanded programmes under the new system. The assurance comes as Nyeri County begins implementing the government’s 10-year Care Reform Strategy, which seeks to transition children from institutional care into family-based environments by 2032.
Mburu outlined that the strategy is designed to ensure that children living in charitable institutions, separated from their families, or at risk of separation are raised safely, happily, and sustainably within family and community settings where their best interests are prioritized. The Department of Children Services is currently conducting a situational analysis to establish the exact number of charitable children institutions operating in Nyeri County as well as the number of children requiring reintegration into family settings. This exercise will help the government develop an accurate database for planning and implementation purposes.
According to Mburu, the reforms were informed by research findings showing that children raised in institutional environments are often negatively affected compared to those brought up in family settings. He noted that family-based care provides children with emotional support, identity, belonging, and stronger social development compared to institutional upbringing. The programme aims to ensure abandoned and vulnerable children grow up within supportive family environments where they can enjoy stable relationships and community integration.
Mburu explained that the programme will be implemented in three phases under the leadership of the State Department for Children Services. The first phase will focus on preventing family separation and strengthening families economically so that parents and guardians can care for their children without resorting to institutional placement. The second phase will focus on alternative care where Kenyans will be encouraged to embrace foster care, guardianship, and adoption for children currently living in charitable institutions.
The final phase of the strategy will involve tracing and verification of biological families and eventually transitioning children from institutions back into family and community care. Mburu said the government will prioritize tracing biological parents and members of extended families as part of reunification efforts. He further disclosed that the government has already set aside Sh2 billion under the Child Welfare Fund as seed capital to support families and individuals willing to adopt children from charitable institutions.
Mburu highlighted that the funds will help facilitate smooth transitions and support child welfare programmes across the country. The State Department for Children Services has already sensitized stakeholders including National Government Administrative Officers, religious leaders, managers of charitable institutions, and social workers to ensure smooth implementation of the reforms. Proper assessment and preparation will help prevent situations where children fail to adapt to new environments and end up returning to institutions.
