Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI) partnered with Sarah’s Covenant Homes (SCH) in India to help transition children from residential to family-based care. The transformational change initiated by SCH reflects a global best practice of caring for children and the new approach India is taking in caring for children.
SCH has historically provided institutional and group-home services to children with disabilities and terminal illnesses. Through the help of caregivers, SCH has cared for 135 children in providing critical services missing in the local community. One year after beginning to change to family-based care, SCH reunified three children with their biological parents.
For most children living at SCH, a family-style group home is the best option because of their sensitive medical conditions. Trained and compassionate caregivers are a critical resource in providing group-home services. By sharing its experience in working with caregivers, SCH is empowering other organizations to provide quality care for children with special needs.
Article Summary
This article provides insights into SCH’s 11-year-history of successfully recruiting and retaining caregivers. Based on a review of the organization’s personnel files and interviews with tenured staff, this study determined that referral bonuses, transparent compensation, paid leave and workplace safety are the factors that favorably impact recruitment and retention of caregivers for children with medical conditions in India.
