I could be wrong, but I think Karleen was referring to the UNICEF position
on orphanages.  I don't have the research to hand but when I was working in
Burma/Myanmar in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, the IASC Child Protection
Cluster was working very hard to close existing orphanages and to prevent
the establishment of new ones.  When I asked the Cluster Lead about this,
she told me that as many as 70% of children in orphanages are not in fact
orphans but are surrendered by parents who mistakenly believe that their
children will be better cared for in orphanages (especially those run by
westerners).  People surrender their children in the hope that they will
have plentiful nutritious food, western style education and medicine
available to them.  Unfortunately this is rarely the case and it is
impossible for any institution - even a really 'good' orphanage' - to offer
the kind of care kids need; firm attachments to one or two consistent
caregivers.  The consequences of institutional care can be as devastating as
chronic malnutrition, if not more so.  A significant proportion of
child-soldiers are recruited from orphanages.
Children are much better cared for by people who have a family or community
connection with them.  UNICEF was working hard in Burma/Myanmar to support
communities to care for children whose parents were unable to care for them
either properly or at all.  And to follow Rachel's lead, children in
orphanages are rarely breastfed but in the community, grandmothers, aunts,
even sister and friends can be supported to relactate so that their babies
can be breastfed but this is not usually possible in orphanages.
Nina Berry
Australia

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