Children First: A Global Perspective on Volunteering in Orphanages and Transforming Care

Children First: A Global Perspective on Volunteering in Orphanages and Transforming Care

Increasingly there is a global shift in policy and practice away from supporting orphanages and towards enabling family and community-based care where the best interests and rights of the child are protected. Children First: A Global Perspective on Volunteering in Orphanages provides an opportunity to hear from a range of voices on the impact of volunteering in orphanages; and the global movements that are transforming care from the institutional model towards family and community services which enable better life outcomes for children.

The opening address will be given by Ruairi De Burca Director General Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Speakers include Rebecca Smith, Senior Child Protection Adviser with Save the Children and representative from ReThink Orphanages; Professor Pat Dolan, Chair UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and Aileen O’Sullivan, Communications Officer with Chernobyl Children International.

Lunch will be served following the event.

This event is being organised by Comhlámh and the Volunteering in Orphanages Working Group (OWG). The OWG includes representatives from volunteering sending agencies which are party to Comhlámh's Code of Good Practice and who are concerned at the negative effects of institutional care on children and the particularly harmful impact of international volunteering in orphanages

For further information please contact sandra@comhlamh.org