Alex Sam, a social work professional, researcher, trainer and humanitarian, has presented his research paper, “Orphan Care Versus Family Care: An Ideological Study on Children in Orphanages and Foster Care vs Children in Families,” at the 7th Global Conference on Children and Youth, held from August 20 to 22, 2026, in Oxford, United Kingdom. The research presentation places a strong emphasis on the importance of family-based care and the need to create societies where every child can experience the security, belonging and emotional support associated with family life.
The presentation explores a fundamental question surrounding child welfare: Where do children truly belong and thrive? Through literary, historical, sociological and ideological analysis, Alex Sam examines different models of care for children, including traditional family care, foster care, orphanages and institutional care.
Rather than viewing orphanages and institutions as the natural long-term solution for children without parental care, the research encourages a broader discussion about the importance of family environments. It argues for a child welfare approach in which society works toward ensuring that children grow up in safe, nurturing and supportive families wherever possible.
The research draws on representations of orphanhood and childhood in classical, Victorian and contemporary literature. Characters such as Oliver Twist, Jane Eyre, Huckleberry Finn and Harry Potter provide important literary examples through which the study examines how society understands children who grow up without stable family environments. These narratives have historically influenced public perceptions of orphanhood, institutional care, vulnerability and resilience.
A central theme of Alex Sam’s research is that children need more than physical care. They also need emotional security, stable relationships, belonging, identity and a sense of permanence. While institutional settings may provide shelter, education and basic necessities, the research highlights the significance of relational and family-based environments in a child’s overall development.
The presentation therefore calls for a shift in the way society approaches children who cannot remain with their biological parents. Instead of making institutional care the default response, child welfare systems can explore family-based alternatives such as safe reunification, kinship care, foster care and adoption, wherever appropriate and in accordance with child protection principles.
The broader message of the research is not simply a comparison between orphanages and families. It is a call to rethink the systems and ideologies surrounding vulnerable children. Alex Sam emphasizes the importance of building communities in which every child has the opportunity to experience family, belonging and long-term care.
His own professional experience has given him a particularly strong connection to the subject. Having experienced institutional care during his childhood and later facing homelessness and extreme adversity, Alex Sam has witnessed firsthand the challenges that vulnerable children can encounter. His personal journey eventually led him toward education, social work, research and child welfare.
He completed a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Social Work and is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Work. His professional experience includes child welfare, education, leadership development, community empowerment and organizational development. He has also worked for years in areas connected with ethical adoption and child protection.
His research at the Oxford conference represents an important extension of this professional journey. By bringing together personal experience, academic study and field-level understanding, Alex Sam is contributing to a wider conversation about how societies can create better environments for children.
The research also emphasizes that changing the child welfare system requires collective responsibility. Families, communities, governments, social workers, educators and child protection organizations all have a role to play in creating systems that prioritize children's long-term wellbeing rather than simply addressing immediate needs.
For Alex Sam, the objective is clear: society should aspire to build a future where children do not merely receive care, but experience family. Every child deserves an environment where they can develop meaningful relationships, feel secure and grow with dignity and hope.
Presenting this research at the 7th Global Conference on Children and Youth in Oxford marks another significant step in Alex Sam’s continuing work as a researcher and social development professional. His presentation brings attention to an important global child welfare discussion and reinforces the idea that the future of child protection should be centered on belonging, family and the best interests of every child.
Through research, advocacy and professional engagement, Alex Sam continues to contribute to the vision of a society where institutional care is not seen as the only answer for vulnerable children, and where every possible effort is made to help children experience the stability, love and belonging of a family.
Visit:
Website: https://tpmap.org/submission/index.php/tpm/article/view/3256