Foster Care Focus Week to Celebrate Achievements and Raise Awareness

Kiambu: Kiambu County is set to host a series of events from December 4 to 10, 2023, as part of a foster focus week, organized by the Directorate of Children’s Services and various partners involved in foster care implementation in Kenya. The week aims to raise national awareness about foster care and its benefits, showcasing its successes over the past two years.

According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative falls under the National Care Reform Strategy 2022-2032, which promotes a shift from institutionalized care in children’s homes to a community-based, family-focused care system. Rose Barine, the Kiambu County Coordinator for children’s services, emphasized that the week’s activities would include highlighting the experiences of families and children in the foster system, celebrating their achievements, and sharing success stories. The week will also feature training sessions for foster parents and activities for children.

Peter K. Muthui, from the non-profit Child in Family Focus Kenya and a member of the planning team, outlined a range of activities planned for the week. These activities include sensitizing community health promoters from Kiambu and Thika west sub-counties about foster care, conducting a three-day training for current and prospective foster parents, and concluding with a foster parents’ appreciation day and a children’s fun day.

Muthui highlighted the importance of these activities in providing valuable information to foster parents and raising awareness about the nuances of foster care. The final day’s events aim to boost the self-esteem and confidence of foster children by demonstrating community support and appreciation for their foster parents.

The Directorate of Children’s Services reports that approximately 45,000 children currently reside in over 845 charitable children’s institutions (CCIs) across Kenya. These privately run residential institutions are overseen by the Directorate. Additionally, around 1,000-1,200 children live in 28 government-run institutions, including rehabilitation, remand, reception, and rescue centers.