Qualitative study identifies barriers to family reintegration among Tanzanian orphanage children

A qualitative study of selected orphanages in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Region found that most participating children were ready to reintegrate into families, while a minority faced barriers that made reintegration difficult. Researchers identified sibling affection and family bonds, educational and career aspirations, and the wish to secure inheritance rights as motivations for returning home. Perceived threats from relatives, unresolved trauma linked to maltreatment, differences between orphanage and family lifestyles, and bureaucratic procedures were reported as obstacles.

The study, published in SN Social Sciences in 2026, examined psychosocial factors associated with orphaned children’s readiness for family reintegration. It used a qualitative multiple-case design that combined unstructured interviews, focus group discussions and thematic analysis. Purposive sampling recruited 49 participants: 42 orphaned children and seven directors of orphanages. This design was intended to explore participants’ experiences and perspectives rather than estimate the prevalence of readiness across Tanzania’s orphaned population.

Love and bonds with siblings emerged as a central influence on children’s willingness to reunite with their families. Educational support was another important motivation, with some participants connecting reintegration with opportunities to pursue their education. Career aspirations also shaped their views of family life. In addition, some children wanted to return to secure basic rights, including the right to inherit property. The findings indicate that children’s reasons for seeking reintegration were not limited to leaving an orphanage; they also included hopes for education, professional development and participation in family life.

The study did not portray reintegration as uniformly desirable or uncomplicated. Some children perceived threats from family members, while others continued to experience unresolved traumatic concerns associated with maltreatment they had encountered in family settings. Differences between the lifestyles children had known in orphanages and those expected in families were also identified as obstacles. The supplied findings do not describe specific institutional routines or explain precisely how lifestyle adjustment affected individual children, so the role of these factors remains confined to the themes reported by participants.

Administrative requirements presented a further practical barrier. The study reports that bureaucratic procedures complicated reintegration for some children, although the abstract does not identify the specific documents, offices or agencies involved. Based on these findings, the authors concluded that parenting education and counselling services are vital for preparing children mentally and physically for family reintegration and for their psychosocial wellbeing. This conclusion is a recommendation from the study’s authors rather than evidence that a tested support programme improved outcomes. The research was confined to selected orphanages in one Tanzanian region, and the supplied evidence does not establish whether the findings apply to all orphaned children, whether particular support services improve long-term adjustment, or whether outcomes differed among individual children.

Subject of Research: Psychosocial factors shaping orphaned children’s readiness for family reintegration in Tanzania

Article Title: Orphans’ readiness for reintegrating into families: psychosocial drives and obstacles from selected orphanages in Tanzania

Article References: Vedasto, V., & Mkongo, J. I. (2026). Orphans’ readiness for reintegrating into families: psychosocial drives and obstacles from selected orphanages in Tanzania. SN Social Sciences, 6(11), Article 568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-026-01864-0

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43545-026-01864-0

Keywords: family reintegration, orphaned children, Tanzania, qualitative research, psychosocial support, sibling bonds, child trauma, family care, counselling, parental education, Orphans, readiness