Kenya Marks a Major Milestone in Care Reform with High-Level Government Support
06.10.2025
A new chapter opened in Kenya’s child protection journey on 2nd October 2025, when Lumos Kenya hosted a Care Reform Reflection and Learning Session, bringing together high-level government officials, child protection practitioners from across the country and civil society organisations.
For Lumos Kenya, it was more than a learning session, it was a clear sign that care reform has moved from policy to practice, and from vision to action. The day was both reflective and celebratory, with shared lessons and a symbolic launch of costed, holistic and systematic care reform roadmaps and case management process plans.
The event, held at Four Points by Sheraton in Nairobi, was attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services, Ms. Hannah Wendot Cheptumo, and the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services, CPA Carren Agengo. Together, their attendance represented the highest level of government commitment to transforming care for children from institutional to family and community-based environments.
In her opening remarks, the Cabinet Secretary reminded participants that children belong in families within communities, and that “If we understand that, we will not keep children in institutions.” She emphasised that data generated from these care reform tools would be vital in understanding the needs and status of children in institutions, helping to align services and ensure every child is seen, heard and loved.
The Cabinet Secretary stressed that care reform was “a movement and not a project,” and stated that the government of Kenya is committed to aligning the budgeting process to ensure there are dedicated resources for care reform.
During her speech, the Principal Secretary underscored Kenya’s growing global leadership in care reform. Kenya was represented during the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, in 2024, where it committed to transitioning 70% of children from institutional care to family and community-based care by 2027.
“Kenya is on the global map for care reform, and the government is committed to ensuring this transition becomes a reality,”. – Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services, CPA Carren Agengo
Madam Agengo also highlighted the progress made so far, training thousands of social workers and caregivers, developing child protection case management tools and scaling up family-based care interventions. She affirmed that the proposed Child Welfare Fund, with a planned seed allocation of KES 2 billion (£11,500 approx.), is expected to sustain this momentum and directly benefit more than 500,000 children.
A highlight of the day was the launch of the care reform costed county and regional roadmaps and case management tools developed with Lumos’ technical and financial support. These tools equip counties to calculate the real cost of transitioning children from institutional to family-based care, effectively planning reintegration and after-care services for transitioned children and their families.
The tools have helped us establish how much it costs to transition one child from institutional to family and community-based care. They are also strengthening our understanding of the children’s needs and of how to prevent unnecessary separation by supporting families through positive parenting and other family-strengthening services.
– Lumos Kenya Country Director, Grace Mwangi
Grace (pictured right) urged partners and donors to join efforts: “If each of us contributes what we can, together we can ensure children are safely transitioned into families and communities where they can thrive.”
Counties piloting the case management process plans shared inspiring stories of change. In Kajiado County, younger children expressed a strong desire to return home as soon as possible, encouraging the officers to stay committed to the care reform process. Nakuru officers praised the tools for offering a clear framework to guide care reform, while representatives of Kericho county noted that calculating costs had demystified care reform: “Now we know it is doable.” one officer said. In Baringo county, the process revealed that many children were in institutions after fleeing harmful traditional practices, underscoring the need for family support and positive parenting interventions alongside reintegration.
Out of 22 counties that have developed these tools, three in Rift Valley have already piloted them, providing practical lessons and a strong foundation for nationwide scale-up.
For Lumos, the presence and commitment of top government leaders, combined with the shared commitment of Regional and County Coordinators, County Children Officers, the frontline Subcounty Children Officers, Charitable Children Institutions, and Civil Society actors marked a powerful validation of our work alongside government and partners.
For Kenya, it was more than a learning session, it was a clear sign that care reform has moved from policy to practice, and from vision to action.
About Lumos
Lumos works to realise every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is a world in which all children grow up in safe and loving families within supported communities.
Founded in 2005 by author J.K. Rowling, Lumos partners with governments, civil society and young people with lived experience to transform care systems globally and advocate for family-based solutions that help children thrive. We ensure that families receive the support they need to stay together or reunite, and that children grow up in family-based settings such as foster or kinship care, not institutions. Despite clear evidence of the harms of institutionalisation, an estimated 5.4 million children worldwide continue to live in institutions. And a much larger number of children are at risk of institutionalisation – those living in poverty, experiencing domestic violence and abuse, and living in countries affected by conflict.
Media Contacts
Please contact Freya Paleit, Deputy Director of Communications at [email protected].
