Catholic Relief Services United States Conference Of Catholic Bish

The best environment in which to raise a child is in a family. Tragically, poverty, disability and natural disasters have driven millions of children out of family care. While reliable data is limited, estimates suggest more than 5.4 million children currently live in residential care, often referred to as “orphanages.” Children raised in residential care can suffer harmful long-term consequences to their health and development and are more likely than their peers to struggle with finding housing, employment or becoming victims of exploitation. Well-meaning people donate millions of dollars to residential care every year, not knowing that 80-90% of these children have a living parent and are not orphans at all. Catholic Relief Services, Maestral International and their partners are changing the way society cares for children. Changing the Way We Care℠: 1) Helps children remain with, or return to, safe and nurturing families; 2) Directs - or redirects – resources to strengthen families and advocates for policies to support and strengthen families; and 3) Works with governments to strengthen systems that strengthen families.