Temporary or long-term care
COLT has the facilities to offer temporary or long-term shelter for children in need. Regardless of the length of their stay, all children are provided a safe and stimulating environment, three meals a day, social and medical care as well as education. The daily care of the children is in hands of our qualified local staff members.
Successful reintegration
Temporary care
In case of emergency or crisis, COLT can provide a safe place for children. There are various causes that might lead to the decision that it’s better for a child to live away from home for a while. In Cambodia common reasons are those that threaten the safety of a child directly: domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse. Often children are also pushed to work when the family’s main provider drops out. When a family does not have a social support network to conquer these setbacks, the children might need some temporary shelter. Every family situation is thoroughly assessed by a social worker, who is often familiar with the family situation and social background. After consulting local authorities like the village chief and Ministry of Social Affairs, an action plan is created in which detailed steps are set out to facilitate a successful reintegration. Through regular home visits, personal counselling and phone calls, the family’s progression is monitored and documented, and when possible a reintegration process will be deployed. After a child has been reintegrated, our social workers keep a close eye on the family situation and provide support where needed.
Long-term care
If children between 3 and 18 years old don’t have parents, or live in a family situation where their most basic rights are in danger, COLT might be able to take them in a long-term care program. Since a child is generally better off growing up in a family situation, our social workers exhaust every possibility to support a child within their extended family or a foster home. If this is the case, COLT’s social workers can provide support and guidance to the foster parents while monitoring the situation continuously.
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If a child is admitted into COLT’s long-term care, our team in Cambodia collaborates closely with the Ministry of Social Affairs and partner NGOs. This cooperation is of particular importance in a situation where several children from one family might be moved, as the relationship between siblings should be preserved at all times.