Institutional care for children in Trinidad and Tobago: Toward a new model of care for developing countries
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Date
2016
Authors
Roberts, Petra
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Abstract
Children around the world need care outside their families for a variety of reasons including
poverty, war and epidemics such as HIV/AIDS. The majority of these children live in
developing countries where there are limited resources to care for them. As a result of concerns
about the effects of institutional care on children, and following trends in the developed world,
there is a movement in developing countries to replace large residential institutions with a system
of adoption, foster care and small group homes.
The aim of this study is to examine the experience of orphan, abandoned, and neglected
or abused children who grew up in residential institutions in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad
and Tobago, to learn the positives and negatives of residential care in order to contribute to
developing a model of care suited for high need, low resource countries.
Oral history methodology was used to collect the stories of 24 alumni (12 men and 12
women) from seven homes in Trinidad and Tobago. The homes were categorized as 1) state—
partially funded by the state but managed by the Anglican and Catholic dioceses, 2) faith-based—
run by religious communities, and 3) community homes run by individuals in the
community.
The findings of the study show that overall experiences were positive. For poor and
working-class children, life in the home was better than their life would have been if they had
remained with their families. However, discharge and transition from the homes were less
favourable. Alumni from the state-funded homes experienced more difficulties than the faith-based
and community homes as a result of poor planning and a lack of post-departure supports.
Women suffered more hardships than men, often leading to sexual exploitation.
The findings also show that being admitted with siblings and staying at the same home
over the duration of care—as was the norm—correlated positively with educational outcomes for
the majority of alumni. Some life-long relationships were maintained with volunteers and with
friends made among peers at the homes.
The study concludes that large group care is not necessarily harmful for children. It may
be even beneficial and may be cost effective—a factor that is very important for low resource
countries. An aftercare plan, with planning beginning at admission might ease the transition
process and gender must be considered in discharge and transition policies.
Description
Keywords
Residential childcare; Group care; Children and youth; High needs, low resource middle income countries