The Government of Kenya, represented by Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore, has unveiled plans to abolish all privately-owned children’s homes and orphanages.
Speaking in Isiolo County, Bore emphasized that only government-owned homes, managed under the Child Welfare Society of Kenya, will be permitted to operate going forward.
The decision to shutter private homes stems from concerns about child trafficking, as Bore explained, “The reason why we are closing them up is because we have been given directions under the children’s Act that the private homes should be closed.
They have also been routes for child trafficking, so the government wants us to retain the institutions that we have under the child welfare society of Kenya.”
The government aims to implement these changes gradually over an eight-year period, with Bore stating, “In the next eight years, those private homes will not exist. We need to prepare to absorb those children that will come from private homes.”
This initiative aligns with the objectives of the Children’s Act, which seeks to support the rights of children to grow up within families and communities.
According to data from the Social Protection department, approximately 45,000 to 50,000 children currently reside in approximately 855 private charitable children’s institutions, while others live in government-run facilities as of November 2022.
This transformation in child welfare aims to ensure a safer and more regulated environment for Kenya’s vulnerable youth.
It would be a better decision to legalise and make sure that they follow the government guidelines coz the truth of the matter is…. The government is not able to cater for all this children.