Orphan

:For alternative meanings of the word orphan, see Orphan (disambiguation).

Societal treatment of orphaned children

Today, in the first world, most orphaned children are placed in foster care and then adopted with a permanent family as soon as possible.

Related Topics:
First world - Foster care - Adopted

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In past times and in much of the third world, orphans often lived homeless as "street urchins", or were cared for in almshouses, orphanages, or occasionally monasteries; most modern people feel that this was a mistake, or, at the least, provided suboptimal care. In particular, almshouses were often shared with the adult homeless and the (sometimes dangerously) mentally ill in an age when many mental illnesses were incurable.

Related Topics:
Homeless - Almshouse - Orphanage - Monasteries - Mentally ill

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In some nations faced with war and AIDS, a significant proportion of the young population is orphaned, which is a major humanitarian crisis. In the People's Republic of China, infant daughters are sometimes abandoned due to the one child policy, which also creates a significant number of effective orphans.

Related Topics:
War - AIDS - People's Republic of China - One child policy

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Orphans typically suffer from adjustment problems related to identity, according to studies.

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