Reintegration is not a simple process. It can take several months or years before a child’s case file is closed.
Reintegration processes are never the same because each child’s experience is unique.
Several parties are involved in the reintegration process:
- the child (‘client’)
- the parents or prospective carer of the child
- OrphanCare’s social worker
- OrphanCare’s counsellor (when necessary)
- OrphanCare’s management
- the institution’s management
- the institution’s case manager
- the institution’s counsellor
- other care providers (when necessary)
- if relevant, the National Registration Department and the Department of Social Welfare
- non-governmental organisations (NGO), civil institutions and corporations often play a role in sustaining families
The reintegration procedure:
- The institution or orphanage refers a child (‘client’) to OrphanCare’s social worker for reintegration.
- The social worker visits the institution and starts a relationship with the client in order to assess if he or she is ‘ready’.
- The social worker makes an appointment to meet the client’s immediate family to get more information.
- Once the client agrees to be reintegrated the social worker sets about identifying the needs of all parties and developing a ‘Care Plan’ with the client.
- The client may be referred for counselling after a case consultation with the counsellor and OrphanCare’s management.
- The social worker identifies needs of the client and family – financial assistance, groceries, school uniforms, job placement, housing issues, educational support, etc. – and studies ways to meet these needs.
- OrphanCare will solicit help from multiple sources – corporations, charitable organisations, NGOs, etc. The priority is sustaining the family unit into whose care the child is released.
- Client is reintegrated into his or her family.
- An OrphanCare social worker will follow up and make regular Post Reintegration Care Plans.
- At the end of a determined period the social worker together with the counsellor and OrphanCare’s management evaluates the client’s status. If satisfied that client and family are doing well the social worker writes a final report and the case file is closed.
