Advocacy

We aim to drive structural change in order to help the bereaved children and children at risk of losing parental care to be able to access their basic rights have a better quality of life sustainably.

1. About Advocacy

Advocacy is a strategic work that consists of the process and various activities, are designed to create systemic changes from operational level, policy and law change by SOS Children’s Villages Thailand. Its aim is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of children who are at risk and those at risk of losing parental care in order to have access to basic rights such as access to appropriate education according to their abilities. The opportunity in participation and expressing opinions or to play a role in various matters, especially with matters that affect themselves. We consider the best interests of children as a priority. Whether it is to develop working standards within the organization including jointly pushing policies with various network organizations.

2. Advocacy and SDGs

(The Sustainable Development Goals : SDGs)

We focus on working for the children who at risk of losing parental care which is a group with high vulnerability. There is a high chance of facing inequality and do not have access to their basic rights as an indicator of childhood quality of life. This will affect the future. These SDGs goals are what we strive to drive in our work for the children to have a quality childhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. SOS Children’s Villages Thailand and Advocacy Activities in Thailand

3.1 Develop standards and drive the alterative care “Family-Like Care” to have international standards and support by law to expand alternative care options for children who lost parental care have access to a quality parenting environment that is conducive to the child's development and grow up to have a good quality of life

3.2 Build a network for exchanging knowledge together to promote and campaign on the issue of children's rights and improving the quality of life of children in need of alternative care

3.3 Alignment with youth to be able to access rights and develop their own potential

3.1 Create awareness about SOS Family-like Care as one of alternative care model

It is to take care a child who lost parental care in the long term caring. There are both formal and informal forms. At present, there are only two forms supported by Thai law; 1) Institutional care model 2) Foster family by following the guidelines on alternative care for children, accordingly to the UN Guidelines of Alternative Care. The alternative care should take many forms, to accommodate the different nature of problems and needs of parenting in progress considered a specific model that focuses on raising children who lost the biological family, mainly from parents

It is a form of alternative care that focuses on building long-term relationships with children who have lost their parental care. Both in terms of the relationship between caregivers and children and the relationship between brothers and sisters with long-term caregivers, also known as "SOS mother", who is a single woman or a widow has no family obligations They will be trained in both theory and practice for at least 2 years, providing 24-hour care for children in a small group (approximately 8-10 people per house) in accordance with the guidelines on alternative care of the The United Nations in the Residential Care category, with each home having mixed-sex, mixed-age children, were raised by the development of long-term brothers and sisters since childhood, support each other. It's the nature of family relationships. Inside the house will have a private area and family activities areas such as bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms with an external environment in the form of SOS Children's Village community. It has maintained an atmosphere that is conducive to child development. There are playgrounds, activity fields, sports fields as well as ongoing activities, both academic, tradition, religion and other skill development activities that promotes learning and growth for children in the long term.

  • Bond relationship in SOS family – SOS children grow up from the same long-term caregiver called "SOS mother" along with siblings who grew up in the same house since childhood. This relationship will last forever. Even though he grew up out of SOS Children's Village
     
  • Individual development according to skill and abilities - children will receive the highest education according to their abilities until the bachelor's degree. In addition, there is a Child Development Plan with special tutoring to enhance and develop skills according to abilities and interests.
     
  • Self-Reliance Learning Area – We place great emphasis on cultivating self-reliance abilities from an early age. Through training in daily activities with the family such as cooking, doing housework, shopping and managing expenses according to the budget received under the Child Rights Protection Policy. It helps create a self-reliant learning environment, for example, it does not accept donations of money and items directly to children. Not accepting lunch and providing privacy in the home, to train children not to be the only recipients. SOS Children’s Villages Thailand support SOS youth for the internship program and work skills development to develop potential in the future.

3.2 Advocacy Network

A group of organizations and network altogether to push for the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in order to be fully implemented in Thailand. SOS Children’s Villages Thailand is part of the Alternative Care Thailand (ACT) working group, which is a group that aims to develop alternative care and child protection systems in Thailand. Children can grow up safely under quality upbringing.

Refer:
https://crccoalitionthailand.wordpress.com
https://alternativecarethailand.com

 

In August 2022, Advocacy staff of SOS Children’s Villages Thailand attended the ACT Coalition Advance meeting with the Working Group on Alternative Care and Child Protection in Thailand or Alternative Care Thailand (ACT), which consists of the Thailand Child Rights Network. The objective is to develop a better quality child care system in Thailand. This is to drive the work of civil society organizations together with government agencies. On the basis of allowing children to grow up in a safe and caring family environment by operating in five strategies to drive alternative care, which are:

  1. Strengthening families and communities to properly raise and protect children

  2. Integrating mechanisms and resources to enable children to live in safe and caring families

  3. Standardizing, developing tools and strengthening the capacity of workers in alternative care, taking the best interests of the child as a priority.

  4. Operating to support follow-up and formally assess the outcomes of alternative care.

  5. Developing the database development to build a body of knowledge and research to formulate policies
     

For organizations affiliated with alternative care networks in Thailand It consists of children's organizations and agencies such as UNICEF Thailand, One Sky Foundation, Childline, Holt Sahathai Foundation, Save the Children Thailand, Christian Foundation for Children with Disabilities (CCD), Care for Children Foundation, Charoen Pokphand for Rural Lives's Development Foundation (CPF), Step Ahead Foundation, Global Child Advocates , The Freedom Story Foundation, Siam-Care Foundation, Urban Neighbors of Hope Foundation, Faithful Heart Foundation and SOS Children's Villages Thailand

 

Alternative Care Thailand (ACT) Alternative Care Thailand (ACT)

Advocacy Staff from SOS Children’s Villages Thailand presented SOS Family-like Care in the meeting of Alternative Care Thailand (ACT)

It is a children's organization network with a shared goal of preventing and ending violence against children and youth through campaigns for policy change. Currently, it consists of 3 organizations: SOS Children's Villages Thailand, World Vision Foundation of Thailand and Terre des Hommes.

3.3 SOS Children’s Village Thailand and the activities to promote the advocacy work

Youth Development and Youth Participation

Youth have the right to express their opinions and be heard. We try to encourage children and young people to practice reflecting on their feelings and needs. Practicing participation in presenting the issues and figuring out solutions, including being able to participate in driving work in the community or pushing for issues.