Abstract. This analysis discusses about the family-based alternative care in the community
for Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances (“CEDC”). Family-based alternative
care is a type of social welfare that brings the CEDC or those who are at risk of losing the
care from their birth parents into a temporarily stable family while waiting for a
permanently stable family which might be their birth family or an adoptive family. Familybased alternative care has many advantages in comparison with the method of entrusting
children into social protection facilities. The children participating in this model will be
nurtured, cared and educated in a friendly and immediate living environment, which will
minimize risks and unsafety so that children would be given with psychological stability,
health care, education, happiness and intellectual development. In addition, this analysis
also discusses about the supporting and connecting roles of local Social Workers in the
community on implementing and attracting the attention and participation of families as
well as establishing and building a team of managerial officials, individuals and adoptive
families having skills and knowledge on taking care of the CEDC.
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78
HNUE JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
Social Sciences, 2020, Volume 64, Issue 4D, pp. 78-85
This paper is available online at
SEVERAL TYPES OF ALTERNATIVE CARE AT HOME FOR CHILDREN
IN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES IN VIETNAM AT PRESENT
Pham Thi Thanh Thuy and Hoang Thi Hai Yen
Faculty of Social Work, Hanoi National University of Education
Abstract. This analysis discusses about the family-based alternative care in the community
for Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances (“CEDC”). Family-based alternative
care is a type of social welfare that brings the CEDC or those who are at risk of losing the
care from their birth parents into a temporarily stable family while waiting for a
permanently stable family which might be their birth family or an adoptive family. Family-
based alternative care has many advantages in comparison with the method of entrusting
children into social protection facilities. The children participating in this model will be
nurtured, cared and educated in a friendly and immediate living environment, which will
minimize risks and unsafety so that children would be given with psychological stability,
health care, education, happiness and intellectual development. In addition, this analysis
also discusses about the supporting and connecting roles of local Social Workers in the
community on implementing and attracting the attention and participation of families as
well as establishing and building a team of managerial officials, individuals and adoptive
families having skills and knowledge on taking care of the CEDC.
Keywords: alternative care, family, children in especially difficult circumstances.
1. Introduction
Vietnam currently has about 26.3 million children under the age of 16, of which the total
number of children in especially difficult circumstances (based on classification of 14 groups
of children under the Law on Children) would take 5.43% of the total child population. There
are about 160,000 orphans, abandoned children, homeless children and over 22,000 children
being cared for in foster facilities (according to the report issued by the Department of
Children of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in 2018) 1.
Our nation has been implementing many forms and models of assistance for the CEDC.
These models may be undertaken by the State under sponsor centers, organizations supervised
by the State or the community-based organizations. Such models may be also built and
maintained by individuals and organizations in the community. While the models of assistance
for the CEDC established by the State are legally grounded by the legal documents which
provides functions, tasks, powers, regulated entities and funding, etc., community-based
assistance models may not have clear legal grounds. There are also differences between
support models in every community.
The Communist Party and the State generally encourage the socialization of the assistance
to the CEDC. Community-based support models would keep the connection between children
Received April 11, 2020. Revised April 24, 2020. Accepted May 15, 2020.
Contact Pham Thi Thanh Thuy, e-mail address: thanhthuyuno8909@gmail.com
Several types of alternative care at home for children in especially difficult circumtances
79
and the community, ensuring the children’s spiritual life, emotional life and the development of
their social relationships. This said the models of assistance for the CEDC are very diverse.
Each model would have distinctions depending on each community.
There are many support models created and developed by people in the community. The
formation of such models may not be clearly guided by a specific legal document and regulatory
procedures. It has created a variety of support models but the models would be inconsistent
causing a difficulty for management.
With the diversity of support models in the community for the CEDC, we would have
measures to divide the support models into groups. Depending on the identified criteria, the
support models would be classified into different groups. The classification discussed in this
analysis is relative and the models addressed herein are only for illustration purpose.
This analysis would focus on the support models for the CEDC. In this regard, there are
several models which may apply to 14 groups of the CEDC as stipulated in the Law on Children
2016 (for example, adoption, protection, etc.) 2. There are also certain models that may only
apply to a specific object (for example, rehabilitation model for disabled children at home).
Although the impact/target object within this analysis is only one of 14 groups of children
stipulated in the Law on Children, this analysis would still discuss about different support
models with an intention to provide a multi-dimensional perspective on different models for
purpose of expanding the applicable scope of such models to the remaining objects/group of
children among such 14 groups of the CEDC.
One of the community-based models of assistance for the CEDC is a home-based support
model that is implemented with specific alternative care forms. The model of alternative care at
home is stipulated in the Law on Children 2016 for 04 groups of children as follows: 1) double
orphans, abandoned children, homeless children; 2) children who cannot live with their natural
parents for protecting children’s safety; children whose parents are unable to protect or nurture
them or are child abusers; 3) The protection of children who are affected by natural disasters
and calamities or aimed conflict is prioritized; 4) Refugee children whose parents are not yet
identified. (Law on Children 2016, Chapter IV, Section 3, Article 62) 2.
When the birth parents of the CEDC do not want or cannot take care of and perform the
function of raising their children in the community, there is an alternative care at home to
continue nurturing and educating them. This model includes the following forms: Foster care,
Kinship care, Adoption, and Guardianship. However, each form will be different in relation to
the legal relations (rights, obligations, and responsibilities for the child), and the organisation
and arrangement of the care and nurturing period.
Alternative foster care at home is a type of social welfare to bring the CEDC or those who are
at risk of losing the care from their birth parents into a temporarily stable family while waiting for
a permanently stable family, which might be their birth family or an adoptive family.
2. Content
In the model of the alternative foster care at home, there are many types of nurturing,
namely: Kinship care, Foster care, Adoption, and Legal Guardianship. There are different
principles, procedures and execution in each type of nurturing.
2.1. Types and procedures of the alternative care model at home
2.2.1. Kinship care (the alternative care by the relative)
Under this model, the child adopter is a blood relative, a relative or a relative of the child’s
family. In particular, the child’s family will arrange and select the place of trust to send the
Pham Thi Thanh Thuy and Hoang Thi Hai Yen
80
child. The adoptive family does not have to undergo the selection, evaluation and supervision of
the competent authorities or through the regular procedures. Children can be raised by a relative
for a short or long term depending on the circumstances, needs, and agreement between the
biological parents and the adopting person. In this case, the child maintains a relationship with
the parents and the biological family, so the parent or the biological family must be legally
responsible for the child. For children who are cared for by relatives, they still receive financial
support according to the regulations of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
The type of nurturing by relatives would be carried out when: 1) performing
responsibilities and obligations to protect the children of the ancestry when the parents are not
able or no longer able to raise the children; 2) informal adoption, i.e. letting the child be adopted
under an agreement between both parties without the formal adoption registration process; 3)
sending children to grandparents or family members to take care of them when their parents are
sick or incapable of civil acts, working far away, or serving sentences, re-education,
detoxification, etc.
When relatives raise their children and grandchildren, there is usually no specific process
or strict procedures as other forms of nurturing and care. For this, the child’s family will arrange
and choose the private place to trust and send them. The foster family does not undergo a
selection, evaluation and supervision by the authorities or through formal legal procedures.
Therefore, in this type, the choice of a place of trust for raising children is due to the family's
arrangement for their children without having to examine through the authorities. 3.
2.2.2. Foster care
This is a form in which the child caregiver is not related by blood or is not familiar with the
child’s family. Families adopting according to this type are recruited, evaluated, trained in
knowledge and skills and closely monitored by the functional agencies. Children will live with
their caregivers for a specified period of time, usually a few months to two years, while waiting
to arrange for a stable family. In this case, the caregiver is not bound in terms of responsibilities
and legal obligations of parents – children, but the legal responsibility for the child will be borne
by the parent/birth family/the State. Families adopting children will receive financial support
under Decision 647 of the Prime Minister approving the project to care for orphans, abandoned
children, HIV/AIDS infected people, etc. in the period from 2013 to 2020. The alternative
family will be responsible for handing the child back to a stable and sustainable family at the
request of the authorities when a decision is made.
This type of nurturing is applied in the following cases: 1) the child's birth family has an
incident and is temporarily unable to care for the child (the sick parent needs recovery or is
serving a sentence, addiction); 2) in an emergency situation where the child is abused, lost,
abandoned, etc.; 3) foster care before the adoption period; 4) foster care to provide positive care
for children with behavioral, psychological, and health problems and need to foster in a special
environment.
Forms of nurturing for a definite term should be carried out according to the following steps:
Step 1. Select and develop a network of families to adopt children for a definite term.
Step 2. Submit applications and documents for child adoption with a definite term.
Step 3. Assess family registrants for child care for a definite period.
Step 4. Issue certification of eligibility to participate in adoption for families.
Step 5. Train for families to participate in the program.
Step 6. Introduce and send suitable children to foster care in the foster home.
The above procedure is carried out according to the specific provisions in Chapter 4,
Section 3 on respite care and the guiding documents pursuant to the Law on Children 2016 and is
specified in Decree No. 56/2017/ND-CP on detailed guidelines for the Law on Children 2016 4.
Several types of alternative care at home for children in especially difficult circumtances
81
This type is initially being piloted in Hanoi and Thai Nguyen as phase 1 (starting from
November 2017) in the pilot project of an alternative care model for disadvantaged children.
The 12-year period of specialization and vulnerability was implemented in 4 phases. However,
since such care model in the pilot project is still considered a relatively new form of care in
Vietnam, the community has not participated much. The adoption of children is still mainly
conducted relatives. The number of other people in the community are not much. Child
protection teams at the grassroots level, especially the collaborators and social workers' staff,
lack the knowledge and skills on assessing children and their families in alternative care and
supervising and evaluating the process of alternative care for children in families.
In 2015, the Social Work Center of Thai Nguyen province piloted a model for families and
individuals to adopt the CEDC for a definite term with the participation of 10 adopting
individuals and families for 10 adopted children in community in Minh Lap, Van Lang, Quang
Son and Tan Long communes of Dong Hy district.
To implement the model, the Center has organized a survey, making a list of the CEDC,
analyzing their aspirations and needs and the capacity of adopting families in the community,
building a "fund" of 15 families and individuals who are willing to adopt the CEDC who lose
their nurturing and education environment. The foster families and individuals shall meet the
conditions, including: having full civil act capacity and well implementing the policies of the Party
and laws of the State; voluntarily accepting child care; having stable accommodation and
accommodation for children for caring and nurturing the children; satisfying economic conditions
and having health and childcare experience; not being a person who is restricted from certain
parental rights over minor child or sentenced and not committed a crime as prescribed by law.
Along with the selection, the Center handed over the children to adopting families and
supported the fostering funds to reduce family difficulties. Every month, the Center organized
training to equip the knowledge, life skills and childcare skills for adopted children and
families. In 2015, in the course of implementation of the activities under the model, Center staff
conducted surveys and interviews with children and families in the pilot model to collect
information to synthesize and analyze the content and to identify their problems and lacking
knowledge to be equipped. Accordingly, the Center organized 15 training sessions (3 times per
month) to equip childcare knowledge and skills with necessary contents such as teaching, home-
based childcare, age psychology, and using funds, etc. for adoption family representatives. The
Center also organized training sessions to equip children with knowledge and life skills, such as
necessary skills to cope with discrimination and stigma, skills to take care of themselves and to
identify their positions with family and society and other skills on communication and behavior, etc.
In addition, the Center has conducted more than 50 direct consultations for children and
caregivers, connecting services to ensure that 10 children can go to school and enjoy full
policies and benefits. With a total support budget of 200 million VND for each month, social
workers of the Center have visited and closely worked with the children and adoptive families
during such period.
Following the achieved results in 2015, in 2016 Thai Nguyen Social Work Center
continued to maintain the 2015 model in Minh Lap, Van Lang and Tan Long communes (Dong
Hy district). Five families participating in the model since 2015 have been supported with
additional funding for 3 months (from December 2016 to February 2017). At the same time, the
program has expanded the area with 10 CEDC and 10 adopting families and individuals to be
selected Kim Son, Kim Phuong and Dinh Bien communes (Dinh Hoa district) from December
2016 to May 2017. Families and children participating in the 2016 model have received 6
months of support. The total funding for the model is VND 200 million. Accordingly, the
adopted children and adopting families and individuals are supported with an amount of
Pham Thi Thanh Thuy and Hoang Thi Hai Yen
82
900,000 VND per month and also receive a support for cloth, study and other living costs for an
amount of 900,000 VND / child / year.
It can be said that, although it is a new model that has just been piloted in Thai Nguyen
province, it has initially achieved remarkable results. Previously, without the support of the
model, the life of children was very difficult and uncertain. Their basic needs such as eating,
dressing, staying, going to school are not satisfied because their parents are no longer able to
work and care them. After being supported by the program, children are guaranteed with a safer
living environment, being participated into social activities, being improved with awareness and
skills, being able to identify and solve problems for themselves. The program has also mobilized
the participation of local authorities, mass organizations and communities to care for the CEDC
in the community 1.
2.2.3. Adoption
The adopting person and the child formally legally set a legal parent-child relationship -
including their rights, responsibilities, and obligations with each other in this type of adoption.
Adopting families will be assessed and selected according to the provisions of the Law on
Adoption in Vietnam. For this, children will be living with adoptive parents in the long-term. In
this case, the adopting family will be fully responsible for the legal, financial issues related to
the child and is responsible for all decisions for the child's future path.
This form is specified in the Law on Adoption No. 52/2010/QH12, promulgated by the
National Assembly on 17 June 2010. In particular, the procedure is divided into two cases for
domestic adoption and intercountry adoption.
+ For domestic adoption:
Step 1: Citizens who wish and meet the conditions specified in the Law on Adoption
prepare the dossier as prescribed and submit such dossier to the People's Committee of the
commune (via the Department on dossier receipt and result release).
Step 2: The authority receives, issues receipt decision and examines the dossier. If the
application is sufficient, the authority will issue the Transmittal receipt and release the result. If
the dossier is incomplete, the authority will guide the citizen to supplement the dossier as
prescribed by law.
Step 3: Citizens receive results at the Department on dossier receipt and result release
under the People's Committee of the commune.
Step 4: Carry out the procedures for adopting children according to the regulations.
+ For intercountry adoption:
Step 1: Foreigners who wish and meet the conditions specified in the Law on Adoption
prepare the dossier as prescribed and submit such dossier to the People's Committee of the
commune (via Department on dossier receipt and result release).
Step 2: The authority receives, issues receipt decision and examines the dossier. If the
application is sufficient, the authority will issue the Transmittal receipt and release the result. If
the dossier is incomplete, the authority will guide the citizen to supplement the dossier as
prescribed by law.
Step 3: Citizens receive results at the Department on dossier receipt and result release
under the People's Committee of the commune.
Step 4: Carry out the procedures for adopting children according to the regulations. 5
2.2.4. Legal Guardianship
A guardian is a person who is assigned with a task to take legal responsibility and be
responsible for the guardianship of the assigned child without depriving the child of his/her birth
Several types of alternative care at home for children in especially difficult circumtances
83
parents. The guardianship usually applies in the case that child was delivered by an underage
mother or the mother is serving a sentence, or losing a civil act capacity, etc. A guardian is the