The term orphanage refers to an institution oriented to look after the most disadvantaged children. This term comes from the Greek orphanos which literally means deprived of parents. In this sense, this institution provides shelter and takes special care of orphaned children, as well as those who have lost their parents through legal custody or for some other reason.
In some cases, orphanages are waiting for a possible adoption by a family. In any case, when minors reach the age of majority, they can leave the institution they reside in at the time.
As a general rule, orphanages are usually public entities even though in some cases there may be the participation of private entities or religious institutions. Orphanage
An approach to the situation of orphaned children
Orphanhood establishes a handicap for any minor. It should be noted that the father and mother figure and the family environment are essential elements for the personal growth and education of any child .
The causes that give rise to this situation are of different natures: parental abandonment, situations of extreme poverty, family breakdowns, armed conflicts, diseases, etc.
The stay in an orphanage can be temporary or have an extended period of time. If the orphaned child has both a father and a mother, it is sought that she and her parents maintain contact. If the child is abandoned by the parents, it is customary to speak of an adoptive child. In any case, attention to minors in these homes is oriented towards their integral care, which means that these centers welcome children as well as trying to offer all kinds of services and care (education, medical assistance, family environment, etc.). Orphanage
Orphaned children in fiction
The term orphanage has some negative connotations. In fact, for a child to end up in an orphanage, there must be some unfortunate situation. However, the bad image of orphanages is observed in books and movies . There are many stories that focus on children’s lives in these institutions.
In Charlotte Brontë’s novel “Jane Eyre”, the protagonist lives a period of her childhood in a sad center for orphans. The story of Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist” also relies on the sordid and inhumane atmosphere of orphanages. On the other hand, universal literature and history itself deal with the issue of abandonment, eventually the protagonist becomes a hero as in the characters Moses, Hercules, Romulus and Remus. Orphanage
