Gender Intersectionality and Family Separation, Alternative Care and the Reintegration of Children

Family Care First (FCF) and Responsive and Effective Child Welfare Systems Transformation (REACT), facilitated by Save the Children, is a multi-donor supported network of organizations working together to support children to live in safe, nurturing family-based care. FCF|REACT works collaboratively with the government, local and international NGOs, academic institutions and UN agencies, to promote and strengthen family-based care. With approximately 60 member organizations, some of whom are funded, FCF|REACT is working to prevent children from being separated from their families and increase the number of children that are safely and successfully integrated into family care. A key element of FCF|REACT is integrating learnings from good practice research into interventions. Given the lack of previous studies covering gender intersectionality for vulnerable children in Cambodia, FCF|REACT is trying to understand the effects of gender, identity, and institutional practices on the well-being of children in alternative care.

The study required a mixed method approach to data gathering and analysis. This included a comprehensive literature review, analysis of data gathered by FCF|REACT partners through the OSCaR online case management system, analysis of data collected by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation through its Residential Care Institution (RCI) inspection process, a secondary analysis of other relevant data/research, and a qualitative exploration of research questions identified in the process. The study explored gendered decision making influencing the placement of children in alternative care, caregiver attitudes driving placement, social norms impacting placement, and differing risks for boys and girls in different types of placements and when they are reintegrated into the family.