What we do
ALTERNATIVE CARE
Many children unfortunately, need full-time alternative care by a caregiver outside their family of origin.
We provide family-like alternative care.
Our model of family care to vulnerable children whose parents cannot provide them adequate care consists of:
- SOS Family Care in individual family houses located in SOS Family Care (formerly named SOS Children’s Village) Beau Bassin and Bambous.
- SOS Family Care in Houses Integrated in the Community
The key services provided in the alternative care programme include:
- Love, care and protection.
- Psychosocial support by psychologists, social workers and other professionals.
- Therapeutic activities to heal traumas due to past abuse, neglect and abandonment.
- Access to education and vocational training.
- Various developmental activities.
- Empowerment of biological families for eventual integration of children.
AFTERCARE
The Aftercare programme works with the biological families of children leaving and those who have left the alternative care with the view to facilitating their integration.
Aftercare for integrated children and young people.
It provides support to the children and young people to become self-reliant. The aftercare support is normally provided for a period of around two to five years depending upon the needs. The support includes assistance for education, training or renting a house, counselling, life skills development, career guidance and employability.
FAMILY STRENGTHENING
It is a service aimed at preventing family breakdown and promoting quality care within families of origin.
We strengthen families in disadvantaged localities to prevent child neglect and abandonment.
The services provided by the Family Strengthening Programme include:
- Family empowerment for self-reliance of families in properly caring for their children.
- Counselling and psychosocial support to parents.
- Referrals of children, young people and parents to other institutions for specialised services (e.g., employment, social services etc.).
- Access of children and young people to education and training.
- Employability and life skills training for parents and young people.
- Early Childhood Care and Education.
- Information and awareness campaigns to sensitise families, children and the community on various social issues.
ADVOCACY
The advocacy services include activities for:
- Implementation of UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children in the framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Improvement of child care systems and policies.
- Fulfilment and protection of rights of children without parents or at risk of losing parental care.
- Access of young people and families to essential services (e.g., education, housing etc.).
