Oman’s Child Care Centre focuses on growth, integration

MUSCAT: The Child Care and Youth Homes Centre is the only centre in the Sultanate of Oman dedicated to caring for children and youth without family care. Under the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), the Centre continues to provide advanced and diverse services to this important group, while constantly improving and introducing new initiatives.

The Centre implements a wide range of programmes and activities designed to develop children and youth, address their needs and build their personalities. These efforts instill core values, develop skills and talents, enhance self-confidence and promote active integration into society through participation in various community events.

Oman’s Child Care Centre focuses on growth, integration

For 2025, the Centre’s annual plan includes 43 approved programmes, of which 22 have been implemented and completed. Additionally, 32 extra programmes have been carried out in cooperation with civil society organisations.

A major milestone was the implementation of the alternative family system in 2010, tailored to Omani social customs and Islamic values. The Centre is operated by qualified national staff and continuously adapts its care model to ensure a nurturing environment.

Salah al Daihani, Assistant Director, explained: "As part of community integration efforts, the MoSD has established youth integration homes for male children aged 14 and above, located outside the Centre. This encourages coexistence with their peers without discrimination, fosters a sense of independence, builds self-confidence and promotes responsibility".

The Centre continues to provide advanced and diverse services to children and youth

The Centre’s core mission is to find families for children deprived of family care and to help them determine their future, enabling them to build lasting relationships in a family environment. According to the latest statistics, 83 children and young women currently reside within the Centre, while 77 young men live in youth homes outside the Centre.

The Centre actively supports higher education, with 18 young men and women currently enrolled in various university programmes. It also works to secure job opportunities tailored to each individual’s interests and qualifications, ensuring a sustainable future. To date, 49 young men and women have been successfully employed in both public and private sectors.