Catholic Care for Children is a sister-led, charism-driven movement to ensure children grow up in safe, loving families.
Through the International Union of Superiors General, national associations of religious, and other appropriate groups, CCC is building capacity to express a charism of care for children in today’s world, to reduce recourse to institutional care, and to encourage family- and community-based care for children. Catholic Care for Children is animated by the charism of care expressed by religious women and men whose leadership and service have often embodied the best of the Christian mandate to care for those in need.
Our pillars
Catholic Care for Children is:
Rooted in touchstones of the Catholic faith, especially
- Biblical mandates to care for children and other vulnerable persons and
- Principles of Catholic social teaching, especially those emphasizing the dignity of each person, a preferential option for the poor, and the right of each person to participate fully in family and community
Informed by social sciences that are clear about the
- Importance of nurturing family bonds for wholistic, healthy development across life span and
- Risks associated with separation from family care, especially in institutional settings
Aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child that spells out
- The child’s right to a family and
- Guidelines for alternative care of children who are separated from their families.
Grounded in these pillars. Catholic Care for Children is committed to a continuum of care pertaining to the best interests of the child:
- If families are in distress, provide support to prevent separation of children.
- If separation occurs, see that children are re-united with families or placed in permanent familylike settings.
- If alternative residential care is necessary, ensure care is of the highest quality and shortest duration possible.
Catholic Care for Children is respectful of national legal frameworks and local cultures, and contributes to sustainable development. It recognizes the importance of collaboration and welcomes partnerships within church communities and beyond to realize the best possible outcomes for children and their families.
Catholic Care for Children International, Catholic Care for Children Kenya,
Catholic Care for Children Uganda, and Catholic Care for Children Zambia
April 2020
Info: www.uisg.org – ccci@uisg.org
