For most children, home is supposed to mean safety.
It is where they should be able to sleep, eat, learn, play and feel protected.
But not every child grows up in circumstances where that is possible.
Some children experience the death of a parent.
Others may face family breakdown, abuse, neglect, severe poverty, homelessness or other circumstances that make living at home unsafe.
When that happens, children need somewhere safe to go.
Children’s homes can provide that safety.
But good residential care is about much more than providing a roof.
It is about creating an environment where children can develop, receive education, access healthcare and build the relationships they need to grow into independent adults.
For more than five decades, Mercy Centre has provided care and education for vulnerable children in Bangkok, including children living in its residential homes.
Why Do Children Need Alternative Care?
Children generally thrive when they can grow up in safe, stable and supportive family environments.
However, sometimes this isn’t possible.
Circumstances can include:
- The death of a parent
- Serious family illness
- Abuse or neglect
- Family breakdown
- Homelessness
- Extreme financial hardship
- Unsafe living conditions
- Abandonment
- Other child-protection concerns
UNICEF estimates that over 2 million children around the world live in residential care.
The international approach to child protection increasingly emphasises family strengthening and family-based care wherever safely possible, rather than placing children in residential institutions unnecessarily.
This is an important distinction.
A children’s home should not automatically be considered the answer to poverty.
The question should always be:
What arrangement is safest and best for this individual child?
Poverty Alone Should Not Separate Families
A family being poor does not mean that children should automatically be removed from their parents.
In fact, separating children from families simply because a family is experiencing poverty can create additional trauma and disadvantage.
This is why effective child-protection systems need to address the underlying problems facing families.
That can include:
- Social protection
- Housing support
- Healthcare
- Education
- Employment
- Food security
- Family counselling
- Community support
When families can safely care for their children, supporting the family may be preferable to separating them.
But when a child cannot safely remain at home, an alternative is necessary.
What Is a Children’s Home?
A children’s home provides a place where children can live when they cannot safely remain with their families.
A good children’s home should provide much more than accommodation.
Children may need:
- A safe place to sleep
- Nutritious food
- Education
- Healthcare
- Emotional support
- Social support
- Clothing
- Personal care
- Recreation
- Protection
- Stable adult relationships
These needs don’t disappear simply because a child is living away from their biological family.
In many ways, they become even more important.
Mercy Centre’s Children’s Homes
Mercy Centre operates residential homes for vulnerable children in Bangkok.
The organisation currently reports that 82 children live in four Mercy Homes.
The homes are part of Mercy Centre’s wider child-development and protection work.
The organisation’s approach combines residential care with education, healthcare, social work and other forms of support.
The objective is not simply to give children somewhere to live.
It is to help create the stability they need to develop.
A Safe Place to Sleep
Safety begins with the basics.
A child needs somewhere secure to sleep every night.
They need protection from violence and exploitation.
They need adults who know where they are.
They need food.
They need clothing.
They need access to healthcare.
These things can sound obvious.
But for a child who has experienced instability, consistency can be enormously important.
A predictable daily routine can help create a sense of security.
Education Does Not Stop When a Child Enters Care
Living in a children’s home should not mean giving up educational opportunities.
Quite the opposite.
Education can be one of the most important parts of helping a child build a different future.
Mercy Centre operates 17 kindergarten schools serving nearly 1,000 children and also supports children living in its residential homes.
Children in residential care can therefore receive support with their education as part of a wider programme of care.
This can include:
- School attendance
- Learning materials
- Educational support
- Homework
- Activities
- Preparation for future education
The aim is to help children continue developing rather than allowing their circumstances to interrupt their education.
Nutrition Is Part of Care
Children need adequate nutrition for healthy growth and development.
A children’s home therefore needs to provide regular meals that meet children’s nutritional needs.
Food also creates routine.
Breakfast.
Lunch.
Dinner.
Snacks.
These predictable daily activities can help children establish a stable routine.
Mercy Centre also provides nutritious meals through its kindergarten programmes.
For children experiencing disadvantage, nutrition and education can therefore be connected.
A child who is well nourished is better positioned to participate in learning and daily activities.
Healthcare Matters Too
Children’s needs aren’t limited to education and accommodation.
They also need access to healthcare.
This can include:
- Routine medical care
- Dental care
- Vaccinations
- Treatment when sick
- Health education
- Mental and emotional support
For children who have experienced difficult circumstances, access to appropriate healthcare can be particularly important.
A residential care programme therefore needs systems that ensure children’s health needs are recognised and addressed.
Emotional Security Is Just as Important
A safe building isn’t enough.
Children need relationships.
They need adults who know them.
They need people who listen.
They need people who notice when something is wrong.
They need encouragement.
They need consistency.
This is why quality residential care requires trained and committed staff.
Children should not simply be moved from one institution to another.
They need stable relationships and appropriate support.
UNICEF’s guidance on alternative care emphasises the importance of care that protects children’s development and wellbeing.
Children Need More Than Basic Survival
Providing food and accommodation is essential.
But children need more than survival.
They also need opportunities to:
- Play
- Make friends
- Learn
- Explore interests
- Develop confidence
- Discover talents
- Participate in sport
- Experience culture
- Develop independence
These experiences contribute to healthy development.
A child’s future should not be determined solely by the circumstances that led them into care.
The Importance of Normal Childhood Experiences
Children in residential care should still have opportunities to experience ordinary childhood activities.
A birthday.
A school trip.
A football match.
A creative activity.
A book.
A family celebration.
A chance to learn a new skill.
These moments can matter.
They help children build memories and develop a sense of belonging.
What Happens When Children Grow Older?
One of the biggest challenges in residential care is preparing children for adulthood.
A children’s home cannot be a permanent solution.
Eventually, children grow up.
They need to develop the skills necessary to live independently.
That can include:
- Education
- Vocational skills
- Financial literacy
- Cooking
- Household management
- Communication
- Employment skills
- Decision-making
- Personal responsibility
The transition into adulthood should therefore be considered from an early stage.
The ultimate goal is not simply to care for a child.
It is to help that child develop the skills and confidence to care for themselves.
Why Long-Term Support Matters
A child may spend many years developing.
The challenges they face at age six may be very different from those they face at age sixteen.
Their needs change.
Young children need basic care and early education.
Older children may need:
- Academic support
- Career guidance
- Vocational training
- Life skills
- Technology skills
- Support preparing for employment
This means children’s homes need to think beyond immediate needs.
They need to consider the child’s future.
Children’s Homes and Family Connections
Whenever it is safe and appropriate, maintaining healthy family relationships can be important.
Alternative care should not necessarily mean that a child loses contact with everyone from their previous life.
Each situation is different.
Some children may be able to maintain relationships with parents, grandparents, siblings or other relatives.
Others may require different arrangements.
The child’s safety and best interests should remain central.
International child-protection guidance emphasises family strengthening and appropriate family-based care wherever this can safely be achieved.
Why Child Protection Matters
Children in alternative care can be particularly vulnerable.
They may have already experienced:
- Neglect
- Abuse
- Loss
- Poverty
- Displacement
- Family instability
That means safeguarding must be taken extremely seriously.
Organisations caring for children need appropriate policies and procedures governing:
- Recruitment
- Staff conduct
- Volunteers
- Visitors
- Reporting concerns
- Photography
- Privacy
- Child participation
- Emergency situations
A child should never be placed at additional risk because they entered a care programme.
Volunteers Have Responsibilities Too
People who want to help children may be interested in volunteering.
But volunteering with children requires care.
Volunteers should follow organisational safeguarding procedures and respect children’s privacy and boundaries.
They should never:
- Photograph children without permission
- Share confidential information
- Make promises they cannot keep
- Give inappropriate gifts
- Attempt to contact children privately
- Ignore safeguarding concerns
The purpose of volunteering is to support children, not to create a personal relationship that continues outside appropriate organisational boundaries.
Residential Care Is One Part of a Bigger System
A children’s home cannot solve every problem affecting a child.
Children also need:
- Schools
- Healthcare
- Social workers
- Community support
- Child protection
- Employment opportunities
- Safe communities
This is why organisations such as Mercy Centre operate multiple programmes rather than focusing exclusively on residential accommodation.
Its work includes schools, children’s homes, social work and community support.
The different elements can reinforce each other.
Education + Care + Community
Think of a child growing up in difficult circumstances.
They may need a safe home.
They may need a school.
They may need nutritious food.
They may need healthcare.
They may need social support.
They may need adults who believe in them.
None of these things works in isolation.
Together, they can provide a foundation.
That is why holistic child development is so important.
What Does Supporting a Children’s Home Cost?
Running a residential children’s home involves much more than paying for accommodation.
Costs can include:
- Food
- Utilities
- Clothing
- Education
- School supplies
- Healthcare
- Staff
- Transportation
- Maintenance
- Activities
- Safeguarding
- Administrative support
Mercy Centre has previously stated that providing full care for a child in one of its homes costs approximately THB 178,000 per year, although donors should check the current figure and programme details directly with Mercy Centre.
This illustrates why residential care requires sustained financial support.
Why Regular Giving Can Matter
One-off donations can be extremely useful.
But regular support can help organisations plan.
If an organisation knows that a certain level of funding will arrive each month, it can make longer-term decisions about:
- Staffing
- Food
- Education
- Healthcare
- Facilities
- Children’s programmes
For residential care, this predictability can be particularly important because children’s needs don’t stop when a fundraising campaign ends.
Sponsorship Can Support Long-Term Care
Child sponsorship provides another way for donors to contribute.
Rather than focusing only on a single immediate need, sponsorship can support a child’s broader development.
Mercy Centre’s sponsorship programme provides a way for supporters to contribute towards the needs of vulnerable children.
Learn more about sponsoring a child
How You Can Help
There are several ways to support children at Mercy Centre.
Sponsor a Child
Provide ongoing support for a vulnerable child.
Donate
Help support Mercy Centre’s education, children’s homes and community programmes.
Volunteer
Contribute your time or professional skills.
Support Through Your Business
Companies can potentially support education, children’s programmes, events or other projects through corporate social responsibility initiatives.
What Makes a Good Children’s Home?
A good children’s home should provide much more than four walls and a bed.
It should provide:
Safety
Children should be protected from harm.
Stability
Children should have predictable routines and dependable adults.
Education
Children should have opportunities to learn and develop.
Nutrition
Children need regular, nutritious food.
Healthcare
Their physical and emotional health needs should be addressed.
Relationships
Children need safe and supportive relationships.
Dignity
Children should be treated as individuals with rights, opinions and aspirations.
Preparation for adulthood
Children should develop the skills needed for their future.
These are not luxuries.
They are fundamental elements of good care.
Every Child Deserves a Safe Place
A child should never be defined by the circumstances that brought them into care.
They are not a “problem”.
They are not a statistic.
They are not a fundraising image.
They are a child.
They deserve safety.
They deserve education.
They deserve dignity.
They deserve opportunities.
And they deserve the chance to build a future beyond the circumstances of their childhood.
For more than 50 years, Mercy Centre has worked with vulnerable children and families in Bangkok.
Its current programmes include 17 schools serving nearly 1,000 children and four Mercy Homes supporting 82 children.
The needs are ongoing.
So is the opportunity to help.
Support a Child Today
If you would like to help provide vulnerable children with education, care and support, you can:
A donation cannot change a child’s past.
But it can help create a safer present.
And with the right support, it can help create a very different future.
Sources
- Mercy Centre — Schools: current information on Mercy Centre’s 17 schools and education programme.
- Mercy Centre — Home: current organisation-wide figures, including schools and children’s homes.
- Mercy Centre — Sponsor a Child: information about child sponsorship and support.
- UNICEF — Alternative Care: international guidance on children without parental care and the importance of family-based solutions where possible.
- UNICEF — Child Protection: information about protecting children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect.