Project Description

Technical Accompaniment

For each year that a child (0-3 years old) is in institutional care, he/she loses 4 months of development (UNICEF 2013). Besides, institutionalization has negative effects on an emotional, cognitive, social, and physical level, which have been picked up by many international studies.

Thanks to the innovation of organizations like Daniëlle Children’s Fund, it was decided in Ecuador to transform towards alternative family- and

community-based care, and focus on the prevention of unnecessary separation of children and adolescents from their families.

Thus was the Red Convivencia Ecuador born in 2017, which is made up of 15 civil society organizations, of which DCF is a member of the coordinating team. Red Convivencia seeks to promote the right of children and adolescents to live with their families and communities, while all of their rights are integrally protected. Through the Red Convivencia, DCF, along with UNICEF and the

Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion, offers technical accompaniment so that the protection system prevents the unnecessary institutionalization of children and adolescents; while we co-construct alternative modalities of family- and community-based care, from which early interventions are carried out that prevent the exacerbation of family crises that could lead to the mistreatment or abandonment of children.

Achievements

  • Co-construction of technical policies and process manuals that regulate public policy around Alternative Family and Community Based Care:

  • Co-construction of a National Strategy of Deinstitutionalization of children and adolescents with MIES.
    See Strategy
  • We facilitate spaces of analysis and canalization of cases on a national level to prevent unnecessary institutionalization and promote the strengthening of families.
  • We accompany organizations that wish to transform towards Alternative Family and Community Based Care. If you want more information, please Contact us.