Family is where children discover who they are, where they belong, and how to trust the world. It is the foundation of identity and healthy development. But not every child can grow up safely with their parents. Displacement, loss, and poverty have left many children separated, abandoned, or without known relatives.
At Child Houses, we believe separation should never mean growing up alone. That’s why we work to restore family bonds whenever we can, and when this isn’t possible, we help children grow up in new families who can provide love and stability.
Restoring Bonds Whenever Possible
Family Reunification
Our first priority is always reunification with blood relatives. Through case management and thorough family tracing, our social workers work tirelessly to reconnect children with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or siblings. These reunions are some of the most powerful moments we witness — when children return to the people who know them best and the bonds of belonging are restored.
A Family When None Is Found
Family-Based Care
When reunification is not possible or not in the child’s best interest, we place children in carefully assessed family-based care. These families are selected through a rigorous process at both the household and community level, ensuring they have the stability, capacity, and commitment to provide lasting love and security.
Many families who step forward have longed for children of their own or have room in their hearts to welcome another child. In these homes, children who might otherwise have been sent to institutions become the very hope and joy of their new families.
Child Houses is proud to be the first local organization in Syria to pioneer this model. It is now widely accepted in communities and has already prevented countless children — especially abandoned infants — from being placed in orphanages.
We follow up with every family for a minimum of five years, providing support, guidance, and monitoring to ensure each placement remains safe and nurturing.
What’s Next
Our vision is to expand this model across every province in Syria, so that when a child is found, the answer is clear: they should be placed in family care. By scaling services nationwide, equipping social workers, and raising awareness in every community, Child Houses is working to shift both policy and public perception. We are making sure family-based care becomes the norm — not the exception until the day institutions are replaced entirely by safe, loving homes.
