Orphans into loving families in Vietnam

Care for Children is close to announcing the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Vietnamese government, which will mark a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance child welfare systems across the country. This renewed partnership will underscore a shared commitment between Care for Children and Vietnamese authorities to prioritise the well-being of vulnerable children, ensuring they have access to supportive environments that foster growth and development. Since 2018, Care for Children has collaborated closely with the Vietnamese government on initiatives aimed at reforming child welfare practices. Despite past challenges, including those exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain steadfast in our mission to create a future where every Vietnamese child can thrive in local, loving families. 

This upcoming MOU highlights a mutual dedication to advancing child welfare reforms. This agreement will facilitate expanded programming, resource sharing, and policy advocacy, ensuring that our efforts align with Vietnam's national priorities for child protection. By formalising this extension, we will be affirming our shared belief in sustainable, systemic change that places children at the center of decision-making. This shared vision is not just about immediate aid but about building resilient systems that prevent institutionalisation and promote family reunification.

Focus on Hue: Addressing Unique Needs

Our renewed initiatives under the MOU will be kicking off in Hue, a culturally rich province in central Vietnam where there are unique challenges. The Hue Social Protection Center (SPC) serves a high percentage of disabled children, many of whom face barriers to inclusive education, healthcare, and family integration due to limited specialised services and societal stigmas. This demographic reality creates a unique opportunity, and necessity, for targeted interventions. In Hue, we'll be prioritising:

• Capacity Building: Training local caregivers and government staff on disability-inclusive care models to improve daily support and long-term outcomes.
• Community Integration Programs: Piloting family-based placements and support networks to transition children from institutional settings into nurturing home environments.
• Advocacy and Awareness: Collaborating with local organisations to raise awareness about disability rights and reduce institutional reliance.

These efforts in Hue will serve as a model for scaling similar programs nationwide, directly impacting hundreds of children and families in the coming years.

Looking Ahead: A Brighter Future for Vietnamese Children

Our commitment to Vietnam extends beyond the upcoming MOU: it's a promise to every child deserving of a loving family. We envision a Vietnam where institutional care is a last resort, and children, including those with disabilities, are empowered to grow up in local, loving families. Thank you for your continued support for this work, it makes all the difference.

Dear Friend,

We’re so grateful for your support of our work to bring vulnerable children out of institutions and into safe, loving families. Thanks to you, we’ve been able to build the key relationships we need to break ground in Hue, a key city in Vietnam.

Much of our energy has gone into building the right foundations for long-term success. This past quarter, we’ve been working closely with government officials in Hue, a region where a high percentage of children in institutions live with disabilities. We are encouraged by the strong level of government interest in partnering with us to pilot family-based care.

This government buy-in is key in Hue, as we need strong support to begin to reshape Vietnam’s alternative care system away from institutional care. Decades of research show that institutions, no matter how well-run, cannot provide the stable, loving relationships children need for healthy development. Children raised in these settings often face delays in emotional, social, and cognitive development, and they are more likely to struggle with attachment and independence later in life.

Hue has been chosen as the focus of our pilot because it has one of the highest proportions of children with disabilities living in institutions in Vietnam. These children are among the most vulnerable and at risk of being overlooked by society. By piloting family-based care here, we can demonstrate that with the right training and support, local families can provide the nurturing environment every child needs to thrive.

“This collaboration is rooted in transparency and trust, where we openly address challenges and work together to find solutions at every phase of the project.”

Chau Nguyen, Vietnam Project Manager

Our team has been drawing on over two decades of experience across Cambodia, Thailand, and China, where more than a million children have already grown up in families instead of institutions. The lessons from these countries are directly informing how we shape our work in Vietnam, especially when it comes to more complicated placement cases like children with disabilities.

In the coming months, we hope to:

• Finalise our partnership agreement with the Vietnamese government for the next stage of this project.
• Finish converting training materials to the local context.
• Begin training staff and local families for the first family placements in Hue.

Every step we take brings us closer to ensuring that vulnerable children in Vietnam can grow up in the safety and love of a family. Thank you for walking with us on this journey.