Lumos has played a major role in bringing to light the true scale of children trapped in orphanages and other institutions across the world.

The launch of the new Lancet Commission on Institutionalisation & Deinstitutionalisation was marked with the release of three important new research papers making clear the harms of institutionalisation on children, as well as the actions needed at local, regional and national level to achieve effective lasting reform.

This new research makes a compelling case for care reform. It is clearer than ever that growing up in an institution can lead to harms across multiple aspects of child development, affecting physical growth, learning, attention and socio-emotional development.

Institutionalisation of children remains a global problem – with a median estimate of 5.4million children living in institutions worldwide – but a hidden one, as so many of them currently go uncounted.

Lumos has played a key role in co-authoring the papers as well as convening experts to be part of these important publications and the commission.

Speaking after the launch of the Lancet Commission, Lumos’ Global Director of Research, Chris Cuthbert said, “The new research published by the Lancet Group is essential reading for everyone concerned about the wellbeing of children in care. It is essential reading not only as the most authoritative and comprehensive picture to date of the evidence base on the harms of institutions; but also because it comes in the wake of another important study exposing the large scale of the issue and major gaps in official data about the children affected.”

Cuthbert concluded by pledging to do better for children, “Going forward, we must spread the message of the Commission; build awareness and understanding of the problem and disseminate the recommendations. We must share the stories of what has already been accomplished in places like Rwanda so that others will be inspired to see that change is possible.”

You can read Lumos’ summary paper on the research here.