Tsunami Orphans - Where are they now?
Alternative Childcare Research Project commissioned by UNICEF

Background

The lives of many Thai children changed dramatically after the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami hit Southern Thailand's coastline.  In  July 2006 it was discovered that the well-being of many of these children was still unknown, and although many had received help and were living in a safe environment, others may still be vulnerable and open to neglect.

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Throughout Thailand there was an estimated 2,300-2,500 Thai Tsunami orphans and an estimated 1,000 unrecorded migrant tsunami orphans.  During our Tsunami Orphans research project we discovered that much of the information recorded about the children was limited or had changed since it was last compiled immediately after the Tsunami occurred.  In addition, official figures varied between government and aid organisations due to a lack of standardisation in recording, different definitions of what constitutes an orphan and issues of legal status concerning migrant children.

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Main Concerns

The main concerns of the research project were:

• To discover how the organisations were being regulated and coordinated?

• To determine whether there were legal provisions for children without parental care, family or community based care?

• To establish the organisational roles in terms of alternative child care, and the responsible government authorities operating within the childcare sector?
   

Due to the indeterminable status of children affected by the tsunami, UNICEF was supporting the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to develop a policy on alternative care arrangements to promote family and community-based care.

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Project Overview

UNICEF commissioned a report, to be written by David Tolfree, an independent consultant, entitled ‘The Situation Analysis of Alternative Child Care in the Six Tsunami-Affected Provinces in Southern Thailand’  and requested Child-TRAC's involvement to help instigate it's research. This project was intended to determine where and why gaps of information and action exist within alternative child care establishments. 

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Methodology

Our objective was to track each and every child orphaned by the December 2004 Tsunami and establish their current status.

Working with the Thai Social Department of Human Securities (SDHS), UNICEF, and other local partners, Child-TRAC located each child orphaned in the 2004 Tsunami.

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After the child’s school, institution, residence or placement was located, we contacted their caregiver and/or teacher to arrange a time to interview both the child and relevant adults together and then separately. Specially trained staff were sent with our Speak Out Kit (SOK) assessment tool to help them determine the wellbeing of the child. Their findings were then compiled into a standardised database which was later sent to UNICEF to follow up on.

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Geographical Scope
Information was gathered in the six Tsunami-affected provinces in Southern Thailand: Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Satun, Trang, and Krabi.  Additional information was also gathered from institutions located in neighbouring provinces to create a base for comparison between established institutions and those which were created post Tsunami.

Additional provinces included Surathani, Na Kon Si Thamarat, Songkla, Yahla and Na Ti Wat. 

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Findings

All detailed findings are documented in David Tolfree’s ‘The Situation Analysis of Alternative Child Care in the six Tsunami-Affected Provinces in Southern Thailand’ Report to which was due to be published by UNICEF at the end of 2007. 

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