Children and Family Breakdown - The Tearfund International ...

CHILDREN AT RISK GUIDELINES
■ Budgeting advice/classes. Credit and savings schemes. This problem has been
hidden in First World countries because the anonymity of large churches often
hides issues such as personal debt. There is no space to discuss these kind of areas
of concern. Cell groups in churches are changing this.
■ Drop-in centres such as a café for parents to make friends and get informal
support/advice/information with programme workers, help with filling out forms
and later, if necessary, counselling and/or referral to other resources and possibly
introductory Bible study.
■ Literacy/numeracy classes for parents with poor literacy skills and/or language
classes for ethnic minorities so they can in turn help their children with school
work and bridge the gap between generations.
■ Family activities and outings.
■ Shelter for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
■ Shelter for pregnant teenage girls wanting to have their babies but unable to stay
with their families.
■ Child spacing clinics or referral to the same to promote smaller families and to
prevent abortions.
The types of projects will vary according to the circumstances. For example in the
United Kingdom, inner city areas have high unemployment and many families have
only one parent and a poor extended family network. Families in rural parts of
developing countries may have large extended families but lack information and support
on many issues. Urban areas in developing countries may have more in common with
cities in developed countries than with rural areas in the same country.
Projects that seek to help children who are separated from their family for whatever
reason might like to look at Children at Risk Guidelines 5 on children in residential
care and alternatives. Children in conflict and war situations are considered more in
Children at Risk Guidelines 6.
VOLUME 1: CHILDREN AND FAMILY BREAKDOWN
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