From the street to the family: supporting family reunification
Each year on 15 May, the International Day of Families reminds us of the central role that the family plays in the development, protection, and wellbeing of children. It also encourages reflection on situations where these bonds are weakened or broken.
This message echoes Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which recognises every child’s right to live with their family and to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents, unless this is contrary to the child’s best interests. The UNCRC also highlights the importance of providing support to families to enable them to fully assume their parental responsibilities, support that is, first and foremost, the responsibility of the State as the guarantor of children's rights.
Yet for many children around the world, this right is not upheld, particularly for children in street situations, who are often separated from their families due to violence, poverty, rejection, abandonment, or a combination of these and other factors. In this complex reality, family reunification becomes a major challenge. On the ground, within our partners organisations, educators play a vital role through their presence and commitment, sometimes helping children to reconnect with their families.
However, family reunification is not always possible. Some children in street situations manage to maintain regular or occasional contact with their relatives despite living on the streets, while others remain in complete disconnection, making any return to family life extremely difficult.
It is also essential to acknowledge that the family is not always a safe environment for the child. Some families are themselves living on the streets or experience dynamics of abuse and violence that can seriously harm the child’s wellbeing. In such cases, our partners explore alternatives, such as reintegrating the child into the extended family.
Before any reunification takes place, an assessment is carried out to determine whether the family can provide a stable and secure environment for the child. This process includes strengthening the family unit, particularly when poverty is the root cause of the separation. However, when the causes are relational or rooted in deep family conflict, mediation becomes more complex and requires long-term psychosocial support and guidance.
Reuniting children from families facing extreme hardship cannot be successful without tailored support. Otherwise, the underlying causes of the separation may persist, jeopardising the sustainability of the reunification. Aware of this reality, our local partners, despite limited resources, are committed to providing material and financial support to the families concerned. This may take the form of one-off donations, microloans to start small businesses, or covering school fees and supplies. Sometimes, even after reunification, the centres continue to offer support to strengthen family ties and prevent further breakdown.
Barriers to Family Reunification
Family reunification sometimes encounters a range of obstacles. Some mediation efforts fail due to ongoing resistance from either the children or their families. Lingering resentment over past experiences, unresolved family conflicts, memories of abuse suffered by the child, or the perception by some families that their child is unmanageable or too costly to care for, all make reintegration attempts particularly sensitive and difficult. Among these obstacles is also the deeply rooted belief in some families that the child is associated with witchcraft. This stigma frequently results in rejection.
Some children may themselves refuse reunification, preferring to remain in the centre, where they find more stable and sometimes more protective living conditions than in their family environment. In some cases, attachment to street life, psychological trauma, or the absence of a strong emotional bond are significant factors that further complicate the process. These situations highlight the importance of comprehensive support, not only for the child, but also for their family. Without tailored social, economic, and psychological assistance, the chances of a successful reunification remain low.
Moreover, in such sensitive contexts, where deep and sustained family mediation is required, the involvement of trained educational staff specialised in psychosocial support is essential. Their role is vital in helping families overcome prejudices and rebuild lasting relationships.
This work of reintegration, based on personalised support and close collaboration between the centre, the child, and the family, lies at the heart of our mission to offer each child a path towards a more peaceful future, anchored in reliable guidance and a safe, stable family environment.
Voices from the Field : Cameroon
Image
Our partners in Cameroon work daily to support children in street situations on their journey towards possible family reunification. During the FAAI Advocacy and Communications Manager’s field mission to Cameroon in February, we met two dedicated figures in this effort: Father Serge, Director of the Chaîne des Foyers Saint-Nicodème (CFSN), and Father Tobian, Director of the Foyer de l’Espérance. Through their testimonies, they shared the realities on the ground, the support methods they implement, and the many challenges but also the hopes involved in rebuilding family bonds.
Father Tobian highlighted the difficulty of contacting some families, particularly in a country where the social context is already extremely fragile. Father Serge emphasised the fear and uncertainty that often accompany children when they first arrive at the centres. Re-establishing a connection with family requires patience, trust, and skilled mediation. When reunification is possible, the team organises gradual visits, regular communication, and encourages families to be actively involved in the child’s life. It is delicate work that can only succeed if the child is ready and able to reconnect with their relatives.
“It’s a way of maintaining the connection with the families. It’s laborious work, but important, as little by little, these visits become part of the routine.”
However, in some cases, children have no information about their families, making identification impossible. The story of Issa, as told by Father Serge, reflects both the complexity and hope involved in these reunification efforts. Taken in by the centre at a very young age, with no knowledge of his family, he was supported for many years. It was only after an accident that his relatives were finally located. Today, Issa lives with his family and has just completed his diploma in hotel management. His story is a powerful example of how family ties can be re-established, even after a long period of separation.
Voices from the Field : Democratic Republic of the Congo
Image
In Kinshasa, the association Lisanga mpo ya Bokolisi Mboka draws on 20 years of experience working with children in street situations. It has developed a comprehensive approach covering street outreach, centre-based care, family reunification processes, post-reunification stabilisation tools, and key educational work.
Despite facing numerous challenges, particularly the mobilisation of human and financial resources, which are often stretched thin for reunification efforts that may involve travel across hundreds of kilometres in a country as vast as the DRC, the centre reports overall positive results. Many testimonies speak to tangible successes in family reunification.
One example is the story of Anna, a 15-year-old girl who was identified by the centre’s team while she was living on the streets. Abandoned by her mother and ignored by her father, she had been left in the care of her grandfather, who was already responsible for several other children. In search of identity and belonging, she tried to find her father, eventually resorting to begging in order to survive. It was a civil servant who finally referred her to the centre.
When Anna arrived, she showed clear signs of deep psychological distress, marked by an identity crisis. The centre’s team welcomed, listened to, and supported her, taking into account the emotional toll of her abandonment. Today, thanks to the reunification work led by the educators, Anna’s family has been found. She is currently training in sewing and continues to receive regular support, with particular attention given to her emotional wellbeing during this critical phase of reintegration and stabilisation within her family.