Navigating Family Roles Within An Institutional Framework: An Exploratory Study In One Private Chinese Orphanage

Current research in child development has espoused the benefit of family-like routines in institutional orphanage care. However, the institutional framework evident in large-group orphanage care often hampers the creation of nurturing, family-like environments. This qualitative study is part of a larger case study exploring how one private Chinese orphanage infuses a family-like structure into an institutional setting. Data is examined from an ecocultural viewpoint, looking at how caregivers and directors’ attitudes and behaviors reflect universal caregiving practices and how they reflect the distinct cultural forces within this private Chinese orphanage. Data came from conversation-like interviews with the director, co-director, and two direct caregivers. This information was combined with observations that resulted from me living within the orphanage for a period of ten days. Results indicate the family-like environment was created primarily through the staff’s articulation of and identification with family roles (father, mothers, brothers, sisters rather than director, co-director, caregivers, and children). Family-like roles often involved levels of intimacy not typically found in institutional settings such as the culturally accepted practice of co-sleeping with younger children. Results are presented in textual format followed by implications for institutional frameworks.