§ The Earl of Sandwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether funds set aside to benefit AIDS orphans will be used for sustainable development in the orphans' own communities rather than for institutional care; and what assessment they have made of previous funding in this context. [HL3995]
§ Baroness AmosDfID is currently developing the detailed steps we will be taking to achieve the spending target of at least £150 million over the next three years as set out inTaking Action—The UK's strategy for Tackling HIV and AIDS in the Developing World. These will be announced in December.
DfID will be looking to support national strategies which aim to support the ability of communities to respond to and support families affected by AIDS to protect and care for their children. This will include of course not only children orphaned by AIDS but also vulnerable children more generally living in a world affected by HIV and AIDS.
DfID's position on institutional care is clear. The setting up of orphanages as a response is not to be encouraged as such settings often fail to meet the developmental needs of children. Children once institutionalised often have difficulties later in reintegrating into society. Moreover orphanages are high cost in relation to other care options such as fostering. They are not a sustainable solution and should best be considered as a last resort.
DfID does not have information on previous funding in this context; it is accepted that the response 166WA to orphans and vulnerable children at international and national levels has generally been inadequate. UNAIDS (2003) reported that more than a third of countries with generalised epidemics have no national policy to provide essential support to orphans and vulnerable children. However, we are now better informed about which interventions are likely to work and increased commitment is required to close the gap between need and response.