WHAT WE DO

UCL activities include: creation of a network of Uganda care leavers that enables members to provide support to each other through shared experiences and mutual understanding; resulting in a community with a common identity. This is facilitated through social media and regional meetings with other social support services.

Identification of care leaver champions and assisting them mobilise other care leavers.

Conducting research that enables care leavers to inform and influence government policy and donor attitudes through advocating for changes to the care system in Uganda.

UCL advocates for: donors that support institutional care in Uganda to inform themselves of the harm done by long-term residential care and to re-direct their existing support for children into reunification and social support programmes.

Managers of existing residential care facilities to inform the children in their care, and those who have recently left, of the support offered by UCL.

NGOs operating in Uganda to include awareness in their programmes and services of the unique problems faced by care leavers. Government policy-makers to include recognition of society’s duty towards care leavers and include provision for them in service design, especially because of the increase in the numbers of care leavers as Uganda deinstitutionalises its child care system.