Research shows that 80% of children living in orphanages worldwide have a living relative. Unfortunately, many of these children endure abuse and violence in residential care settings, leading to traumatic experiences that can have lasting effects. Alarmingly, seven out of ten care leavers report having faced physical, emotional, or even sexual violence while in care.
In Uganda, the pathways for young adults transitioning out of care vary widely, dictated by factors such as age limits, misconduct, need for decongestion, resource constraints, and adherence to established rules and regulations.
These transition processes are often abrupt, unplanned, and lack meaningful participation. As a result, many care leavers find themselves abandoned without adequate aftercare support, financial resources, or the essential life, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills needed to thrive. This is compounded by the mental health challenges that arise from their experiences.
The post-care journey is fraught with challenges. Care leavers face numerous obstacles, including insufficient preparation for independent living, skills gaps among others. These hurdles hinder their ability to integrate and navigate into the community smoothly, often leaving them with few social networks or support systems.
The effects of negative experiences in care can severely impact care leavers mental health, yet access to mental health support services is often difficult , leaving many without the tools and skillset to overcome these difficulties.
Trauma-informed support is crucial for care leavers to navigate their mental health challenges and realise their potential. Equally essential is mentorship, capacity building and strengthening to help them address and heal from their past experiences.
"True empowerment begins when we prioritise the mental health and mental well-being of an individual. To support care experienced persons we must make their mental wellbeing a priority, only then can we unlock their potential, transforming their challenges into strengths, and ensuring they thrive beyond care."
To address the above issues, Child’s i Foundation partnered with the Association of Care Leavers, final year social work students from Makerere University and No Limit Generation to develop a tool kit under the Youth Wellbeing Project.
Through this initiative, 117 young care leavers were trained to become “Wellbeing Champions” within their communities. Since then, they have provided vital peer support to 532 care-experienced young people, helping them thrive as they transition to independent living.
By addressing the challenges faced by care leavers, we are empowering them to have a voice within their communities with regard to care reform due to the negative effects that orphanages have on children. Additionally, by fostering supportive networks and equipping young people with the tools and skills they need, we are creating pathways to resilience, healing, and thriving.
This article was written in collaboration with Sumaeya Nassuna-Association of Care Leavers Uganda
