SOS Children’s Villages UK Transitions to Independent Family-Focused Model

SOS Children’s Villages UK has announced it will withdraw from the international SOS Children’s Villages Federation to become an independent organization. This transition marks a strategic shift away from the traditional "Village" model of institutional care, which the charity has utilized for over 50 years, toward a new focus on family strengthening and community-based support systems.

The organization stated that its experience with global partners has demonstrated that children thrive best when supported within their existing family structures, including extended kinship networks and community arrangements. By moving toward this model, the charity aims to prioritize keeping families together and preventing the separation of children from their parental care. The transition is expected to take place over the coming months.

Christian advocate Krish Kandiah expressed support for the shift, noting the organization's move away from institutional care. While the charity is changing its operational identity and methodology, it maintains that its core commitment to the welfare of vulnerable children remains unchanged.