EVALUATION AND NEW ADVANCES, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE START OF THE PILOT TEST

During November, RELAF went back to Chile to take part in new activities within the framework of the Pilot Test. Matilde Luna and Karina Pincever, on behalf of the Network, worked together with all the institutions and entities involved in this stage of the regional initiative to stop the internment of babies: SENAME, UNICEF, and the two NGOs in which the test is being carried out, ADRA and Santa Catalina. They also held meetings with judges and persons of reference from renowned local organisations in order to observe the reform process of the practices of alternative care for children in their early years.

The goal of the pilot test is to achieve family and community integration for all children under 3 years of age living at Santa Catalina institution, while ADRA's Foster Care Programme is left in charge of deepening the practice of foster care for young children. This is only an initial step: the intention of the project is for it to be replicated throughout Chile and provide important lessons for other countries of the region.

On one hand, on this occasion, work focused on the impact of institutionalisation of babies and young children and on the disastrous psychological, physical and social consequences of them being brought up in an institution. On the other hand, considering the time elapsed since the beginning of the pilot test, work also revolved around the evaluation and reorganisation of the process in order to keep moving forward.

Once again, the teams involved showed high human and professional qualities, and UNICEF and the childhood authorities expressed their commitment to this pilot test, reaffirming the role taken on by Chile as a pioneer in the challenge of achieving family life for every baby.

More information

We invite you to watch this report on foster care broadcast on Chilean television, which features the experiences of several foster families and words by Matilde Luna, leader of the RELAF Project, and by Rolando Melo, SENAME's Director.

Watch report