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How do I go about starting up an orphanage ?
I want to open a place for children that have no where to go or no one, a place which can feel like home and help them.
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Sarah’s Answer
Hi Travanie,
What an inspiring and ambitious goal! The world needs more people like you! :)
When I imagine starting a plan for an orphanage, two major questions stick out in my mind:
1) How to pursue getting the right investments partners to begin a new non-profit?
2) What important regulations and rules would need to be followed so that the orphanage can stay open?
Here are some of the things I would suggest doing to answer these questions:
1) Find a few non-profit organizations and see if you could talk to their founders. Ask them about how they found support, funding, etc. to get started. Ask them what type of educational path would be beneficial. You could start with non-profits in your area, but with the power of the internet, you could look elsewhere too! Don't worry so much about if the non-profit is an orphanage specifically; any and all knowledge would help. Talking to a diverse group of founders may be even more beneficial so you could learn about different paths people have found.
2) Find local daycare providers and see if you could talk to the manager. Ask them how to learn about what regulations they have to follow and where you could read more about them. Ask for a tour of the classroom; talk to the teachers about what they do to keep the children safe and healthy.
3) Sometimes, audit reports for childcare facilities are public information. See if your area has a website for this, and if so, read the reports. This will also give you an idea of how people follow (and don't follow) the regulations in your area.
4) Seek volunteer and/or job opportunities at non-profits, childcare facilities, schools, or local Department of Children and Families so you can gain first-hand experience in the day in the life of different jobs that care for and educate children.
5) Look for foster parents, or groups/people who support foster parents, in your community. Talk to them about what their needs are and their experiences in helping foster children.
What an inspiring and ambitious goal! The world needs more people like you! :)
When I imagine starting a plan for an orphanage, two major questions stick out in my mind:
1) How to pursue getting the right investments partners to begin a new non-profit?
2) What important regulations and rules would need to be followed so that the orphanage can stay open?
Here are some of the things I would suggest doing to answer these questions:
1) Find a few non-profit organizations and see if you could talk to their founders. Ask them about how they found support, funding, etc. to get started. Ask them what type of educational path would be beneficial. You could start with non-profits in your area, but with the power of the internet, you could look elsewhere too! Don't worry so much about if the non-profit is an orphanage specifically; any and all knowledge would help. Talking to a diverse group of founders may be even more beneficial so you could learn about different paths people have found.
2) Find local daycare providers and see if you could talk to the manager. Ask them how to learn about what regulations they have to follow and where you could read more about them. Ask for a tour of the classroom; talk to the teachers about what they do to keep the children safe and healthy.
3) Sometimes, audit reports for childcare facilities are public information. See if your area has a website for this, and if so, read the reports. This will also give you an idea of how people follow (and don't follow) the regulations in your area.
4) Seek volunteer and/or job opportunities at non-profits, childcare facilities, schools, or local Department of Children and Families so you can gain first-hand experience in the day in the life of different jobs that care for and educate children.
5) Look for foster parents, or groups/people who support foster parents, in your community. Talk to them about what their needs are and their experiences in helping foster children.
Matthew L. Tuck, J.D., M.B.A.
CEO/Managing Attorney, Greater Detroit Area
64
Answers
Updated
Matthew L.’s Answer
Hi Travanie.
Great question! You sound like a very caring, patient and compassionate person, which is important when dealing with children.
I would with everything Anthony and Sarah said in their answers and add this.
Generally speaking, in the United States we don't have traditional orphanages any more. The traditional orphanage you see in movies or read about in books was run by the government or maybe a charity of some kind and was usually a large place with a lot of children who were either orphaned (parents were deceased) or who had been abandoned. The U. S. has moved away from orphanages to what we call a "foster care" system. About 170 years ago a man in New York (where you are from) came up with a system that seemed to work better than orphanages and as a result orphanages slowly disappeared. Many other countries still rely on the traditional orphanage system to care for these children.
In a foster care system children who are orphaned, abandoned or neglected are placed with a family. The children will stay there until they are adopted, reach the age of 18 or (for those with living parents or relatives) go back to live with a parent or relative. Foster parents are paid by the government to care for the children who are placed with them.
Most foster care homes are single family homes or may be small group homes where 4-6 children are placed while they wait to be adopted. Right now there about 440,000 children in the foster care system in the United States.
Generally speaking, if you want to run a foster care home, you must be approved by the state. You generally have to be in good health, go through some training, pass an investigation and background check, and then get approved. Once approved you will have children placed with you that you will foster. In many cases, the foster parents may eventually adopt the children they foster.
In my day job I'm a lawyer and I had some wonderful clients a few years ago who fostered close to 100 children over many years and actually wound up adopting about 40 of those children. Most, but not all, of the children they adopted were older and had come from very bad situations and were not being adopted by other parents. Most adoptive parents want babies or very young children. Like you these people were incredibly kind, patient and caring. They are some of the most amazing people I've every met.
So, if you want to work with foster children, there are a number of things you can do. I would start by doing volunteer work with foster children (with your parents' permission of course). They often struggle in school and need additional help. This way you will be able to meet them first hand.
Next you should make sure that you have a stable career after you graduate from high school. If you move around a lot and change jobs frequently, you won't be a good candidate for foster care. Pick a career that will allow you to spend lots of time with your foster children. They require a lot of time and care. You should also cultivate stable relationships with stable people who share your values. Couples generally have a better chance to become foster parents and it's easier to share the responsibilities of raising children with a solid, understanding and helpful partner. If you have a high-powered career that requires you to work lots of hours every week, it will be difficult to foster children effectively. It takes a lot of time to do it properly. I am not saying you shouldn't go into a field like that if you truly love it, but there are tradeoffs. If fostering children is really important to you, you will probably have to make career decisions to accommodate that.
With my clients and friends who have fostered children over the years (and they are all amazing people), it helped that some of them had a background in psychology, teaching and social work. They seemed much better at dealing with the emotional and other issues that many foster children have.
Call the agency in your state that screens, trains and selects foster parents and ask them what they look for. You may be able to get an internship at one of those agencies to see how they operate first hand. You could also investigate charities that focus on orphaned and abandoned children, They always need help form interns or you could get a job there. You will get a first-hand view of the challenges and rewards of helping these children.
You sound like a very caring and amazing person. Come up with a plan for high school, college and life and stick to it.
1. Investigate how the foster care system works in your state. Talk to the people who train and approve foster parents.
2. Get an internship or job with a charity or agency that works with foster children and parents.
3. Read about psychology and social work to see if you like it. It will help if you decide to take on the role of being a foster parent some day.
4. Talk with foster parents and ask them if they like it and what the challenges are.
5. Volunteer to tutor some foster children to see things from their perspective and how the foster care system can be made better.
Great question! You sound like a very caring, patient and compassionate person, which is important when dealing with children.
I would with everything Anthony and Sarah said in their answers and add this.
Generally speaking, in the United States we don't have traditional orphanages any more. The traditional orphanage you see in movies or read about in books was run by the government or maybe a charity of some kind and was usually a large place with a lot of children who were either orphaned (parents were deceased) or who had been abandoned. The U. S. has moved away from orphanages to what we call a "foster care" system. About 170 years ago a man in New York (where you are from) came up with a system that seemed to work better than orphanages and as a result orphanages slowly disappeared. Many other countries still rely on the traditional orphanage system to care for these children.
In a foster care system children who are orphaned, abandoned or neglected are placed with a family. The children will stay there until they are adopted, reach the age of 18 or (for those with living parents or relatives) go back to live with a parent or relative. Foster parents are paid by the government to care for the children who are placed with them.
Most foster care homes are single family homes or may be small group homes where 4-6 children are placed while they wait to be adopted. Right now there about 440,000 children in the foster care system in the United States.
Generally speaking, if you want to run a foster care home, you must be approved by the state. You generally have to be in good health, go through some training, pass an investigation and background check, and then get approved. Once approved you will have children placed with you that you will foster. In many cases, the foster parents may eventually adopt the children they foster.
In my day job I'm a lawyer and I had some wonderful clients a few years ago who fostered close to 100 children over many years and actually wound up adopting about 40 of those children. Most, but not all, of the children they adopted were older and had come from very bad situations and were not being adopted by other parents. Most adoptive parents want babies or very young children. Like you these people were incredibly kind, patient and caring. They are some of the most amazing people I've every met.
So, if you want to work with foster children, there are a number of things you can do. I would start by doing volunteer work with foster children (with your parents' permission of course). They often struggle in school and need additional help. This way you will be able to meet them first hand.
Next you should make sure that you have a stable career after you graduate from high school. If you move around a lot and change jobs frequently, you won't be a good candidate for foster care. Pick a career that will allow you to spend lots of time with your foster children. They require a lot of time and care. You should also cultivate stable relationships with stable people who share your values. Couples generally have a better chance to become foster parents and it's easier to share the responsibilities of raising children with a solid, understanding and helpful partner. If you have a high-powered career that requires you to work lots of hours every week, it will be difficult to foster children effectively. It takes a lot of time to do it properly. I am not saying you shouldn't go into a field like that if you truly love it, but there are tradeoffs. If fostering children is really important to you, you will probably have to make career decisions to accommodate that.
With my clients and friends who have fostered children over the years (and they are all amazing people), it helped that some of them had a background in psychology, teaching and social work. They seemed much better at dealing with the emotional and other issues that many foster children have.
Call the agency in your state that screens, trains and selects foster parents and ask them what they look for. You may be able to get an internship at one of those agencies to see how they operate first hand. You could also investigate charities that focus on orphaned and abandoned children, They always need help form interns or you could get a job there. You will get a first-hand view of the challenges and rewards of helping these children.
You sound like a very caring and amazing person. Come up with a plan for high school, college and life and stick to it.
Matthew L. recommends the following next steps:
Anthony Kofi Hene-Amoah
Project Analyst/Advisor, Career Advisor, Translator/Editor
146
Answers
Updated
Anthony’s Answer
Please, note the following concerning starting up an orphanage:-
1. Consideration of the goal and objectives.
2. Consideration of your INTEREST and KNOWLEDGE in the general WELFARE & CARE of children.
3. Finances/Capital.
4. Virtues of honesty, faithfulness,
dignity, diligence, transparency, and accountability.
5. Interaction with stakeholders concerning children welfare. For example:-
a. The Government.
b. Social Welfare Ministry.
c. Ministry of Education.
d. Non-Government
Organizations (NGOs).
Best wishes to you.
1. Consideration of the goal and objectives.
2. Consideration of your INTEREST and KNOWLEDGE in the general WELFARE & CARE of children.
3. Finances/Capital.
4. Virtues of honesty, faithfulness,
dignity, diligence, transparency, and accountability.
5. Interaction with stakeholders concerning children welfare. For example:-
a. The Government.
b. Social Welfare Ministry.
c. Ministry of Education.
d. Non-Government
Organizations (NGOs).
Best wishes to you.