Mapping of residential care facilities in the capital and 24 provinces of the kingdom of Cambodia
Mapping of residential care facilities for children throughout Cambodia 2014-2015
- Available in:
- English
- Khmer
Highlights
The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) is pleased to publish the report of the mapping of residential care facilities for children in Cambodia. The ministry conducted mapping in five provinces – Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Kandal and Preah Sihanouk – between November 2014 and February 2015. The ministry published the preliminary data on 18 March 2016. With USAID and UNICEF assistance, MoSVY mapped the remaining 20 provinces between October and December 2015.
Our objective was to identify all residential care facilities, including those currently not registered with MoSVY, and collect basic information about them, such as the type of facility and the number of children living in them. Based on this important report, MoSVY endorsed the national action plan for improving child care, with the target of safely returning 30 per cent of children in residential care to their families by 2018. Newly identified centres will be included in MoSVY’s regular annual inspection and all facilities have been asked to submit a notification form and apply for authorization with MoSVY based on sub-decree 119 dated 11 September 2015 on the management of residential care centres.
This mapping exercise identified 639 facilities, with a total of 35,374 children and young people (45 per cent female). Based on self-reporting from institution staff, these facilities can be categorized into five types: residential care institutions (406), transit homes/temporary emergency accommodation (25), group homes (71), pagodas/other faith-based care in religious buildings (65), and boarding schools (72). A total of 16,579 children (47 per cent female) younger than 18 were reported to be living in the 406 residential care institutions. The total number of children under 18 living in all 639 facilities was 26,187 (48 per cent female). A further 9,187 young people (36 per cent female) older than 18 were reported to be living in these facilities.
This report further analyzes the data, including from the five priority provinces, and provides recommendations to strengthen our alternative care system. The ministry welcomes and endorses the findings of this national report and commits to taking further necessary actions with relevant institutions civil society organizations, directors of residential care institutions and relevant local authorities to review and enforce the existing policies and legal framework. The ministry also commits to applying the principle of ‘the best interest of the child’ in all decisions concerning children.
