Children living in orphanages are at greater risk for long-term negative impact
on their social, emotional, and cognitive development. This is especially true
for children under three years of age and for children living in large institutions
for long periods of time. While higher quality residential care (small numbers
of children living “family-style” with consistent, well-trained caregivers) can help
minimize these impacts, research shows that children growing up within families
fare better in the long term than children raised in orphanages.
• Good practice dictates having a full range of care options available for children