“Being separated from my siblings was devastating”: The impact of family separation in Colombia
10.12.2025
Pictured: Laura from Bogota, Colombia spent 16 years in institutions. She says one of the hardest aspects was being separated from her siblings.
Laura, now 27, has devoted herself to supporting young children. Earlier this year, she worked as a kindergarten teacher in Colombia, where she spent her time caring for the well-being of the children. But it’s unclear how much her commitment is shaped by her own childhood in an institution, where she was separated from her family for 16 years.
Laura was just four years old when she was moved to an institution in Colombia after her mother died from pneumonia. Her brother and sister were taken to a foster family, but due to her lung condition, her family felt she would be better off living in an institution.
I remember my first day in the institution was overwhelming and scary. I really missed my siblings. Even though there were lots of children and staff around me, I felt alone. I missed having that family bond and felt an emptiness in my heart.
– Laura
While Laura received food and an education at the institution, she didn’t see her brother or sister for eight years and was only able to speak to them on the phone once a week. When their foster mum was able to bring them in to see her at the institution, she says she was “so happy and excited .”
The psychological and emotional impact that living in an institution can have on children is well-documented. It can affect a child’s physical growth, cognition, socioemotional development, mental health, and ability to form attachments.
Being separated from siblings in the care system can also inevitably leave them with feelings of grief, sadness and anxiety and a loss of identity. It can also make it harder for children to adjust to their new living arrangements.
Laura’s experience of growing up in an institution is sadly not uncommon. In Colombia, an estimated 11,000 children are living in residential institutions .
But we are seeing progress. We have partnered with the ICBF (Colombian Institute of Family Welfare), the government department protecting children, and there is a shared commitment to develop family-based care and solutions that prioritise children’s well-being and keep families united.
Laura is determined to raise awareness of what it is like to live in an institution, and support Lumos and partners to transform the care system in Colombia and elsewhere, so every child can have a loving family.
I have my own space and someone who cares for me and listens to me. The only thing missing from my life is a family of my own. I want to share with my future children all the love I couldn’t have and for them to grow up loved, protected, listened to.
– Laura
This story is part of the Lumos Home for the Holidays Appeal series. Join our annual appeal so we can give more children the greatest gift of all this holiday season, a safe and loving family.
