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National estimation of children in residential care institutions in Cambodia: a modelling study
Lindsay Stark1, Beth L Rubenstein1,2, Kimchoeun Pak3
1Program on Forced Migration and Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA.
Insights
Nearly 1 in 100 Cambodian children live in residential care institutions, with most having living parents. This data highlights critical child welfare and national development concerns.
Area of Science:
- Child welfare studies
- Demographic research
- Social policy analysis
Background:
- Residential care institutions in Cambodia house a significant number of children.
- Understanding the demographics of these children is crucial for effective policy-making.
- Previous data on children in residential care in Cambodia was limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish baseline data on the number of children in Cambodian residential care.
- To characterize the demographics (age, sex, duration of stay, education, health) of these children.
- To inform government initiatives aimed at reducing institutionalization and promoting family-based care.
Main Methods:
- A two-stage sampling method was employed across 24 commune-level sites in Cambodia.
- Government lists and key informant interviews identified residential institutions.
- Direct counts of children and data collection on their characteristics were conducted at all identified institutions.
Main Results:
- An estimated 48,775 children reside in Cambodian residential care institutions.
- The majority of children in care are school-aged, with over half between 13 and 17 years old.
- Most children living in institutions have at least one living parent.
Conclusions:
- Approximately 1% of Cambodian children live in residential care.
- This high rate raises significant concerns for child health, protection, and national development.
- Findings underscore the need for policies supporting family-based care solutions.
Objectives:
The primary objective of this study was to collect baseline data on the number of children living in residential care institutions in Cambodia. The secondary objective was to describe the characteristics of the children (eg, age, sex, duration of stay, education and health). The data were intended to guide recent efforts by the Government of Cambodia to reduce the number of children living in residential care institutions and increase the number of children growing up in supportive family environments.
Setting:
Data were collected in Cambodia across 24 sites at the commune level. Communes-administrative divisions roughly equivalent to counties-were selected by the National Institute of Statistics using a two-stage sampling method.
Design:
Government lists and key informant interviews were used to construct a complete roster of institutions across the 24 communes. All identified institutions were visited to count the number of children and gather data on their basic characteristics. The rate of children in residential care in the selected communes was calculated as a percentage of total population using a Poisson model. This rate was applied to all districts in Cambodia with at least one reported residential care institution.
Participants:
A total of 3588 children were counted across 122 institutions. A child living in a residential care institution was defined as anyone under the age of 18 years who was sleeping in the institution for at least four nights per week during the data collection period.
Results:
There are an estimated 48 775 children living in residential care institutions in Cambodia. The vast majority of children have a living parent and are school-aged. More than half are between 13 and 17 years of age.
Conclusions:
Nearly 1 of every 100 children in Cambodia is living in residential care. This raises substantial concerns for child health, protection and national development.
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