During Collaborate 2018, over 120 global leaders from 33 nations brainstormed about shifting cultural mindsets within their nations towards Family Care. This publication is a summary of those discussions.
The number of children currently in the care of orphanages and other institutions worldwide is overwhelming. Weak family structures, insufficient support systems, cultural stigmas around orphans, street children and caring for a non-biological child prevent many families from volunteering, reducing the available homes for placement. Som families willingly place their children in orphanages to provide better education, nutrition or housing. In addition, many nations do not have fully developed laws covering alternative Family Care, so adoption and/or foster care solutions are not successfully implemented.
Collaborate leaders discussed hot to begin changing minds of key stakeholders within their nations regarding Family Care, and encourage tehir church communities to embrace and support families opening their hearts and homes to children. Those discussions identified the following keys for local networks of churches and NGOs to consider as they develop plans to Change Minds within their own contexts.
