Closure of Private Children’s Homes in Kenya

Closure of Private Children’s Homes in Kenya.

According to Labor and Social Protection CS, Florence Bore, in 8 years, the government will close private children’s homes in Kenya.

The move seeks to regulate and monitor the development of children in a bid to reduce instances of child trafficking in the country.

While speaking at an inspection exercise in Nakuru County on Saturday, she urged private children’s homes to take action and transfer children in their care to government facilities within this period.

The CS indicates that through the efforts of the ministry, the government is conducting an inspection of all government owned children’s homes to determine whether or not they meet all the requirements for maintaining the safety needs of the children under their care.

Bore further argues that private children’s homes have a grace period of 8 years to comply with the provisions of the Children Act of 2022. According to the Act, it is important to seek alternative care modalities for children without families including through guardianship, foster care, and adoption in a bid to prevent case of child trafficking.

Information from the Social Protection Department reveals that in November 2022, there were close to 45,000-50,000 children staying in private children’s homes and other government facilities.

Additionally,  Bore argue that private establishments accommodate a majority of these children. As such she warns that these institutions must prepare for the inevitable transition amid government intentions to develop an oversight framework.

She reiterates that regardless of the care and services that private home owners provide to these children, they present a loophole that criminals capitalize on to perpetrate cases of child trafficking.

The CS further claims that private children’s homes are a medium that foreigners use in illegal adoption due to the insufficiency of child trafficking laws in the country.

She argues that it is the responsibility of the government to regulate and oversee the actions of private homes in ensuring that their services focus on promoting the welfare of children.

Closure of Private Children’s Homes in Kenya.