Global partnerships with NGOs and governments in caregiver training

Across the world, the practical implementation of the UN Guidelines for Alternative Care (as well as any other type of intervention) represents major challenges to governments and NGOs invested in caring for separated children and youth. While most governments introduce laws on deinstitutionalisation, their agencies and aid organisations struggle to apply solutions for successful implementation: how to finance education for their staff to train large numbers of foster and kinship families, often living in remote areas; how to apply the general guideline recommendations for quality care, in ways acceptable to local child rearing traditions; how to help staff change their mindsets from being institutional employees to develop skills as local innovative community experts; and finally, how to motivate enough families and communities to include children and youth without parental care. To provide organisations with low-cost solutions, the Fairstart Foundation develops blended learning packages in a two-year cooperation with partner organisations. After joint research to map an organisation's needs, Fairstart designs a six month instructor's online classroom for staff groups. As part of the curriculum, each student trains a local group of caregivers, using Fairstart's program USB in local language and culture versions. In Fairstart partnerships, 540 staff from organisations in 26 countries graduated as instructors, and have so far trained the caregivers of more than 35,000 children and youth in care, indicating the relevance of the blended learning approach for partners. Further research is recommended.