Description
The report forms part of a project funded by the WK Kellogg Foundation to implement a strategy for the care of orphans and vulnerable children in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It reviews the available scientific and programmatic information on interventions aimed at children, families, households and communities. Specifically, the reports considers:

• home-based child-centred development programmes focussing on health and nutrition;
• psychosocial care and management of inherited assets;
• interventions directed at supporting families and households to cope with the HIV/AIDS problem and
• interventions directed at building the capacities of communities to provide long-term care and support for children and households.

It also contains a valuable annotated bibliography of available literature in this area.

Contents

Section one
1. Introduction
1.1 Definitions of orphans and vulnerable children
1.2 Rights and development as the bases for interventions
1.3 The long-term nature and size of the problem
1.4 The status of evidence about family and community interventions for orphans and vulnerable children

2. The impact of HIV/AIDS on children, families and communities
2.1 Impacts on children
2.2 Impacts on families and households
2.3 Impacts on communities
3. Community-based approaches to caring for children affected by HIV/AIDS
3.1 Needs of adult caregivers
3.2 Role of external agencies

4. Orphan registration programmes

5. Facilitating access to adequate nutrition and healthcare
5.1 Nutritional assistance for preschool children
5.2 Assuring access to healthcare for affected children

6. Facilitating access to education
6.1 Direct assistance
6.2 Provision of early childhood care and education (ECCE)
6.3 Community-based schools and schooling for working children
6.4 Assisting schools to provide psychosocial support for affected children
6.5 Government intervention to support the education of affected children

7. Addressing childrens emotional needs
7.1 The provision of psychosocial support for children and families
7.2 Planning for the future and remembering the past
7.3 Substitute care for children

8. Protecting children
8.1 Protecting children from abuse and exploitation
8.2 Protecting childrens assets and inheritance

9. Community mobilisation and micro-finance
9.1 Community mobilisation
9.2 Livelihood support
9.3 Micro-credit and targeting of women
9.4 Vocational training and apprenticeships for young people
9.5 Factors contributing to the success of income-generating activities
9.6 Emergency relief

10. The role of government
10.1 The role of the private sector

11. Monitoring and evaluation of support efforts

12. Intervention-linked research

13. General programme approach

Appendix

Responses developed by stakeholders to meet OVCs needs for OVC living in family-like settings

Interventions to improve the financial situation of families fostering OVC

Risks and interventions to help families meet OVCs basic needs

References

Section two
Annotated bibliography