In early 2025, Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC)—implemented by Maestral and Catholic Relief Services—entered its final phase of work. As the initiative approached closure, the team focused on completing key activities while ensuring that the progress and learning of the past several years could be sustained by local partners. Thanks to the generous support of private donors, including the GHR Foundation, CTWWC was able to continue a streamlined set of priorities through October.
| “Projects have a beginning and an end. Changing the Way We Care has come to an end, but its methodologies will be institutionalized in the Social Welfare Secretariat’s internal organic regulations through Caring and Growing — which is the operational part of the Undersecretariat for Family Preservation that will give life to the family strengthening and prevention components.” — First Lady of Guatemala, CTWWC Closing Event |
Focusing on a sustainable exit
With system strengthening always at the heart of CTWWC’s approach, this final phase emphasized consolidating tools, evidence, and capacities so they remain in the hands of national actors who will carry this work forward.
| Guatemala: The Secretariat of Social Welfare established a pathway and coordination group for the prevention of unnecessary family separation and promotion of family strengthening in Escuintla and Quetzaltenango departments where there is a high rate of children entering residential care within the Guatemalan child protection system. Across 25 municipalities, representatives of the Secretariat, as well as the ministries of health and education were trained and a social services mapping was undertaken to identify support networks for the implementation of the pathway in future. |
| India: In Odisha, District Child Protection Officers have been working with District Magistrates to deliver training to equip Panchayat and block-level officials to integrate child welfare activities into their Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) and to allocate and use their 5% untied funding. Recently, in one district 74 out of 149 Gram Panchayats have completed their plans, in another district the annual child welfare allocation was increased from INR 7.9 million to INR 9.3 million, and in a third support was provided to 25 vulnerable adolescent girls to aid their education. |
| Moldova: CTWWC completed the evaluation of the specialized foster care pilot for children with severe disabilities, outlining clear recommendations to strengthen the legal framework, expand support packages for professional foster parents, and update training for both foster parents and professionals. The evaluation highlighted the impact of community support meetings that bring together social service providers, community leaders, and faith actors—informal spaces that reduce stigma around disability and foster care while improving access to services. Workforce strengthening will continue through a new micro-credential training package—now approved within the university system—combining competency-based content with practical activities for new and existing professionals. |
| Kenya: The State Department Children’s Services hosted two meetings to collaboratively review and then validate new Family Strengthening SOPs, including a set of linked monitoring indicators. As a result, prevention indicators, initially omitted, were integrated into the National Care Reform Strategy M&E framework. Both the SOPs and updated M&E framework are now finalized and awaiting government approval and roll out. |
Synthesizing learning across diverse locations
In addition, the CTWWC team undertook an evaluation across the demonstration countries to synthesize learning on care system strengthening. Although the countries are very different, clear themes emerged on how change in care systems unfolds:
- Evidence and demonstration as catalysts: Across the system components, evidence-based advocacy and pilot models or demonstrations were critical.
- Government ownership as critical to reinforce, scale and sustain change: Reforms gained traction when government actors assumed visible leadership roles and endorsed guidance and tools.
- Partnerships and multi-stakeholder collaboration as foundations for legitimacy and accountability: Across the care systems, diverse coalitions created legitimacy, accountability, and momentum.
- Capacity building as an entry point: Training, mentoring, technical accompaniment, and peer learning were effective strategies that built skills, shifted attitudes and increased trust and confidence.
- Alignment with broader agendas and values as frameworks for change: Change was unlocked by framing reforms within existing priorities or norms. Aligning with what already mattered politically, economically, or morally created powerful incentives for change and scaling of models.
- Adaptive problem-solving in complex systems as critical for navigating challenges: Progress often required navigating blockages, requiring flexibility, collectively seeking alternative pathways, and engagement with champions or leaders.
- Inter-linkage of system components as necessary for long-term change: Changes in one component of the system affect or are impacted by changes in another, highlighting the importance of a multi-component, long-term approach to system strengthening.
A summary and full report on the evaluation is available, along with a webinar recording of the CTWWC team presenting the findings. We hope these insights can inform future care reform efforts and are delighted to be continuing to engage through the Transforming Children’s Care collaborative on ongoing learning exchanges.
Leaving a rich legacy of learning products
CTWWC has always prioritized open sharing of the materials we develop, working closely with the Better Care Network to publish documents, host webinars and collaborate on the Transforming Children’s Care platform. Recent publications have included a range of resources: research studies, care profiles, evaluations, guidance, practice videos and case studies.
- What can we learn from care leavers’ experience in Moldova? a one-page summary of the longer Ce putem învăța de la tinerii cu experiență trăită în sistemul de îngrijire din Republica Moldova? Studiu participativ realizat de la egal la egal în rândul tinerilor, a participatory study led by a newly established care leavers NGO in Moldova, to gain an understanding of the interests and needs of young care leavers and how the network can build support for this community.
- Country Care Profile: Moldova a comprehensive overview of care reform efforts in Moldova over the past thirty years, highlighting successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
- Strengthening Families in India: Framework & Guidance presents promising practices led by government bodies and civil society organizations across India with guidance and a framework to advocate for expanding access to family strengthening supports.
- The Formalization of Kafaalah in Kenya video and corresponding discussion guide. In this video, practitioners, religious leaders, and a Kafaalah caregiver share their experiences in advancing and reinforcing Kafaalah as a key form of family-based alternative care in Kenya. They discuss both the advantages and the difficulties—such as legal, cultural, and administrative challenges—and offer insights on how to support families, promote child-focused placements, and protect children’s best interests within the Kafaalah system. A companion discussion guide outlines a range of topics that can be explored alongside the video.
- Based on the first round of CTWWC’s household survey, Subjective well-being of Kenyan children reunified with families from residential care institutions: A closer look at child disability is a recently published article looking at children’s mixed perspectives on returning to family care from residential care and drawing out in particular the experiences of children with disabilities who reported lower well-being than those without disabilities. These findings highlight the importance of ongoing, inclusive support for all children leaving residential care and their families.
- From Tijuana, Centro Eudes: del cuidado institucional al abrazo familiar y comunitario, is the story of the Centro Eudes which reminds us that every child deserves to grow up in love and safety. Guided by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd and supported by CTWWC, UNICEF, and other allies, this transformation shows that when faith, solidarity, and action come together, real change for children is possible. Additionally, La Transformación de Hogar Esquipulas a un Centro de Fortalecimiento Familiar captures the transformation of Hogar Esquipulas, led by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anthony in Chiquimula, Guatemala, which is a powerful testament to their profound commitment to children’s well-being. Through spiritual reflection, active listening, and institutional courage, this religious community reshaped its mission toward family-based care for vulnerable families, grounded in children’s rights and the principles of consecrated life.