Orphans into loving families in Vietnam

At the heart of our work is the need to help transform child welfare systems from orphanages to foster care. In many countries, children growing up in institutions is still the norm. We're committed to training orphanage staff to become family placement workers, combining their experience of the local context and needs with our rigorous, cutting edge expertise.

In Vietnam's pilot phase, the basic training consists of ten, two-day workshops. The first two regions to take the training, Hanoi and Thai Nguyen, are now a third of the way through the initial core training. Read on to find out what our training involves, and why it's key to transforming the lives of orphaned and abandoned children.

The third, two-day workshop focusses on the role that Family Placement Workers play in the ongoing support and care of children when placed in families. Each child needs unique, individualised care, which is best provided in the context of a loving family.

Trainees are encouraged to consider how a child's identity is constructed, and the role this might play in ensuring a successful foster care placement. In order to have a sustainable impact, placements must be beneficial for the children and families.

"If a child feels comfortable about themselves, their culture, family, identity... then a child can feel accepted by their foster family."

We're excited by how the Vietnamese trainees have grasped the training with enthusiasm, understanding the long term impact that it will have on their work. The aim of the pilot phase is for the two regions to become models of practice for the rest of the country, so the potential impact of these sessions is immeasurable.

"People here are very inquisitive" says Clayton Green, Project Manager in Vietnam. "They want to learn more; they want to know more. We have faith, we believe in them to carry this work of foster in Vietnam."

Remember, your support make this possible. This training is the first stage in seeing children placed safely into families, and supported well so that they can go on to thrive.

In Vietnam, it costs $70 for an attendee to train one workshop. Thanks to the support of people like you, we can help more people than ever before become Family Placement Workers and transform the future for orphaned and abandoned children in Vietnam.