The Convention of the United Nations has guaranteed the rights of children to live normal life and to study.
However, there are still millions of children in the world who are suffering. Based on the human rights notion, any
child should not be discriminated because of their physical, mental, social, economic and legal conditions.
Children of various kinds e.g. orphans, handicapped, mentally retarded children, street children, abandoned
children, children from poor and broken families, physically/sexually abused children, young offender, children with
no custodians, children at risks of abuse and neglects, children from ethnic minority are socialized in shelters or
special schools. These children and adolescents need adequate care and protection from others. Most of these
places lack physical facilities, qualified staff and/or adequate educational materials. Your even one hour’s time can
make a big difference to them.
The word child care is very broad therefore before taking decision to do this type of work, you should understand
what it means. It includes the following:
- provide protective shelter to the children
- Fact finding i.e. physical damage, health, economic & social conditions, family histories, incidence of abuse,
legal provision etc.
- child protection i.e. temporary separation of children from their families, legal proceeding, medical check-up
- providing financial supports and necessary items to both children and the family
- counseling mostly concerned problem-solving and social skills of the children
- help mental/intellectual development by teaching and other activities
- help develop physical health through sports, exercises, and nourishment
- help develop personal skills through training e.g. cooking, sewing, dancing, singing, drawing, gardening,
teaching handicraft making
- help socialize with other children, relatives, neighbors and the communities, facilitate re-integration i.e. help
return to the normal life to live with family and the society
- help re-integration of the children with the community
- monitor the re-integrated children in community until the case is closed
In summary, our program is targeting to deal with children (0-18 years of age) who are vulnerable of abuse and
neglect, orphans, abandoned children, street children, and mentally and physically handicapped. Volunteers can
help these children with activities related to day-care, physical development and various therapeutic activities i.e.
arts, crafts, etc. These activities are supervised and carefully assigned by staff in the placements.
Child Care program in Thailand
In Thailand, there are 4 types of child care shelters to admit children with various type of cases based on their age
and conditions;
- Baby homes (0-5 years of age) are to admit newly-born and younger children abandoned in hospitals and
other vulnerable places.
- Emergency homes (5-18 years of age) are to provide primary protection and welfare to children before
transferring them to other appropriate places.
- Child protection centers (7-18 years of age) are to admit transferred children from baby and emergency
homes or other child service agencies. Some children in these centers are victims that involve legal process.
- Children homes (5-18 years of age) are similar to the protection centers and admit children transferred
from various child service agencies throughout the country. However, the condition of children might not be
severe. One crucial task of the home is to re-integrate children with the family and community. Children are
trained how to survive in the community. They walk to Suksa Songkroh or Ratprajanukroh schools (see
details in special education chapter) located nearby. Vocational training units are often established inside to
ensure the future employment of the children after they reach 20 years of age.
- Preparation centers: These centers are for physical and mental handicapped children. These centers
have few children (4-10). They are admitted there to make ready to go to special schools..
- Special Schools/Centers: Some of the children studying in these schools are from local communities
and ordinary families. Some of the children admitted to and living in child care shelters and emergency
homes are transferred to these schools. Followings are the category and brief description of this type of
placements.
- Suksa Songkroh or Ratprajanukroh Schools – This means “Royal Education Welfare”. There are 39
schools throughout the country, e.g Petchburi, Chainat, Petchabun, Nongkhai and Khon Kaen
Provinces. Children who have normal mental and physical conditions are sent to study in these
schools. They continue their education starting from Kindergarten to high school levels. Some
schools also arrange or provide for children to re-integrate with the local communities. These
children live in the children home and study with the children of local communities.
- Suksapisesh or Sothasuksa Schools – There are 17 schools in Thailand including in Prachinburi,
Udonthani, Nonthaburi, Nokhonpathom, Prachuabkhirikhan, Khon Kaen and Petchabun provinces.
In these schools, children with weak hearing ability (i.e. absolutely or partially deaf) study here.
Almost all the students in these schools live on-campus. These schools accept volunteers who have
special communication skills (sign/body languages).
- Special Schools for Mentally Retarded Children – There are 21 schools in Thailand including
Suphanburi, Prachinburi, Petchburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Sawn provinces. All
the children live on-campus in dormitories. Volunteers with nursing background, physiotherapy,
sports, music, arts, would be helpful.
- Schools for the blind – There are about 10 schools in Thailand e.g. Khon Kaen, Lopburi, Lampang,
Bangkok etc. Most of the children live on campus. Volunteers who have Braille script skill would be
helpful. Volunteers for teaching English, music, games, etc. can be helpful.
- Schools for physically handicapped Children - There are 4-5 schools for the children normally
without one or two legs/arms e.g. in Khon Kaen.
- Schools for young offenders – Accused children who are under legal proceedings live and study in
these schools which are under the ministry of justice and located nearby the accommodation or
shelters. English, arts and craft shall be organized to release stress and distress complex of the
children.
Child care shelters have specialists to accomplish these broader objectives of child development. Although, our
volunteers are not experts, they can be involved in some activities with those specialists to help and learn as well. In
order to work there we will need to apply in advance and approved by the concerned authority. It is essential to send
us a scanned copy of your photograph (2 x 4”) and the passport before you arrive in Thailand. Please specify in your
application about your interest and experiences so we can choose the appropriate group of children and the place
for you and we will send you the detail of the placements, works and others.
Example of typical programs:
1. Phayathai Babies Home:
It is located in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi Province, northern Bangkok and is a home for 400 children including 60
affected by HIV. Other children are:
- abandoned babies in hospital or public places
- children affected with HIV
- orphans/babies of poverty stricken families or broken homes
- children living under unsuitable conditions or homeless
- children being deprived of suitable care
You can do the following activities:
- help therapeutic activities i.e. physio-therapy, arts, craft (9:00-11:00 am)
- help other works (11:30 am - 14:00 pm) as children will sleep
- help outdoor activities (15:00 pm - 16:00 pm) e.g. gardening, sports, ect.
Age of the children: 0-5 yrs of age
Working Hours: 9 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday.
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