Kenya’s government has signalled that it will abolish all privately run children’s homes and orphanages as part of a nationwide transition to family- and community-based care. Broadcasters reporting on the directive say roughly 1,000 charitable children’s institutions could be closed under the plan, ending a model that has sheltered vulnerable minors for decades. Operators warn the abrupt policy shift puts thousands of children at risk of returning to the streets unless a clear resettlement framework is funded. “The lives of the children are at stake; we need government support—are we now operating illegally?” asked Lucy Yinda of Mombasa-based Wema Centre, which has rescued street-connected children for more than 30 years. Margaret Nekesa of Nairobi’s Smile Community Centre said many children are anxious about losing their only stable home. The debate echoes wider concerns across the region. In Uganda, Child Africa, an organisation caring for street children in Kigezi, says steep taxes threaten to force its own closure. Sector advocates are urging East African governments to pair family-placement goals with financial assistance and monitoring systems to safeguard child welfare during the transition.