Childcare policy in Muhammadiyah A case of Institutional support to family strangthening in Yogyakarta

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PROSIDING Konferensi Nasional

Penguatan Peran Perempuan Muda

Menuju Indonesia Berkemajuan

II




PROSIDING KONFERENSI NASIONAL

PENGUATAN PERAN PEREMPUAN MUDA MENUJU INDONESIA BERKEMAJUAN

Tim Penyunting : Anjarwati

Dewi Amanatun

Iwan Satriawan

Jazaul Iksan

Lutfi Nurdian A

Mamik Hajaroh

Muhammad Ma’ruf

Muhammad Shobar

Nur Fitri Mutmainah

Siti Khotimah

Widaryati




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CHILDCARE POLICY IN MUHAMMADIYAH: A CASE STUDY OF INSTITUTION SUPPORT TOWARD FAMILY STRENGTHENING IN

YOGYAKARTA CITY

DAVID EFENDI Departement of Government, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta

HERNI RAMDLANINGRUM Australian National University, Australia

Abstract --- This Appreciative Inquiry approach (AI) research identified the appropriate system applied in Muhammadiyah’s institutional care as the best option for the children. Therefore, this research model is one of the breakthroughs to help Muhammadiyah with two objectives: first, Muhammadiyah enable social workers in their organizations to work effectively with children and families so that children can grow up safe and protected within their family. Second, this work includes professional social workers and social volunteers who carry social work tasks. The study aims to find the best practice in terms of returning the child (re-integration) at the orphanage institutions to their families. This research has a focus so that Muhammadiyah can work effectively with children and families, that these children can grow up in a best, safe and secure environment within the family and community environment.

BACKGROUND

Through this Appreciative Inquiry approach (AI) research, we want to start help create a situation in which the system

applied is the best option for the children. Therefore, this research model is one of the breakthroughs to help Muhammadiyah with two objectives: first, Muhammadiyah enable social workers in their organizations to work effectively with children and families so that children can grow up safe and protected within their family. Second, this work includes professional social workers and social volunteers who carry social work tasks.

The research, held from October 22 to November 8, 2013 aims to find the best practice in terms of returning the child (re-integration) at the orphanage institutions (hereinafter referred to as the institution) to their families. This research has a focus so that Muhammadiyah can work effectively with children and families, that these children can grow up in a safe and secure environment within the family and community environment.

The expected outcome is to support changes in the Muhammadiyah, although it is recognized that what is happening outside Muhammadiyah might influence policies and practices of Muhammadiyah. What happens in the Muhammadiyah also could have a greater influence to the policies and practices of government or other organizations.

Basically, this tesearch conducted by the Assembly of Social Services with the support from Family for Every Childincludes four locations that have been identified as examples of promising practices in terms of changing from institutional care into family-based care.




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The research report focuses only on cases in Yogyakarta area, precisely Putra Muhammadiyah Institution related to how deinstitutionalization initiative as an effort to return the child to the best care system, which is in a family environment. This report also describes how pre-conditioning becomes one of the interesting things to see possible efforts to strengthen family in the future as seen on foster children, families, staff and caregivers.

PROFILE

To gain a thorough understanding, it is necessary to describe the local situation of the research sites covering the conditions of Yogyakarta as well as the institution along with its ups and downs.

1. Profile of Yogyakarta City

The existence of Yogyakarta palace and Temple Pakualaman make Yogyakarta city is seen as one of the cultural centers of Java. In the city of Yogyakarta it is common to find cultural heritage, both physical / material (tangible) and non-physical / non-material (intangible). The existence of Yogyakarta city cannot be separated from the founding of the palace of Yogyakarta Sultanate in 1756. The old town is also the birthplace of Muhammadiyah with their religious social movements in 1912 established by Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan in Kauman Village. Besides Muhammadiyah, there was also a social organization that added color to Yogyakarta, namely Taman Siswa. Both organizations were the pioneer establishment of Yogyakarta as a city of education.

Yogyakarta has the narrowest area compared with the other districts, which is 32.5 km 2

which means that 1.025% of the Yogyakarta province of 3,250

hectares is divided into 14 districts, 45 villages, 2,531 Community and 617 households. The city passed four major rivers stretching from the north to the south. Related to the population of the Yogyakarta from year to year are as many as 442.209 people (2006), 456.915 (2008), 388.088 (2009), 388.627 (2010). In 2011, Yogyakarta had 390.558 people (BPS Yogyakarta 2012). One thing that is interesting is the decline in the number of population from the period of 2008 to 2009.

But it is quite interesting to note, that although this Muhammadiyah Lowanu Institution is located in the city but the live-in foster children are mostly from Sleman and Bantul while children who come from the city of Yogyakarta remain in their family by getting family and educational support from PAY.

2. Profile of PAY Putra Muhammadiyah (Putra Muhammadiyah Institution)

The institution is located at Jalan Lowanu Mg III/1361, Yogyakarta. The oldest institution established in 1912 has been registered in the Social Department of Yogyakarta Province by the code: 0884/3038/VI in 2005. Thus, there had been nearly 100 years gap of this new institution to finally be formally registered to the State. Initially this institution had one area for boys and girls. It was in 1928 the separation was done that the institution was divided into two locations, for boys in Lowanu, managed by Muhammadiyah branch level, and girls in Notoprajan which is managed by Aisyiyah.

From several documents found at the institution, history of the establishment of




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Muhammadiyah Boys and Girls Institution was a response of Muhammadiyah’s members to care about social phenomena where during the colonialism period, there were a huge number of orphans and the poor. In the first quarter of the 19th century in Yogyakarta, precisely in Yogyakarta royal square often became a spot to the gathering of the poor and orphans, where in the same place the philanthropists would give their charity as well. This phenomenon can still be seen until now at the central mosque Kauman every Friday. Then, in 1918 was born in Muhammadiyah an organization called the People's Welfare Trustees (PKU – PembinaKesejahteraan Umat). This is the first institution to handle orphan sponsorship activities "systematically."

Actually, the number of the orphanages in Yogyakarta province is very little when compared to the number of institutions run by Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah nationally. From the total amount of Muhammadiyah’s and Aisyiyah’s 308 PAY (PAY= Institution) (Muhammadiyah Profile in 2010), only 7 institutions that are located in Yogyakarta greater area. And from 7 institutions, only 2 that are actually located in the central of Yogyakarta. In 2011 Social Department of the city of Yogyakarta issued data about the number of social service organizations as many as 95 organizations. 16 of them are children institution. 1 In Muhammadiyah itself there is one group, which is the Lead Branch of Muhammadiyah Nitikan, which has a family support model (established in 1991).

1 The total of institution organizations that include children and the elder people are 26 institutions.

In 1990, the institution was combined with religious educational institutions and thus these institutions not only accommodate the orphans alone but, more broadly, from poor families, abandoned children, 'victims' of disharmony families in both Yogyakarta and outside areas. This educational approach model also makes the institution as an organization that “has to look for students / foster children”. It is obvious when we see from the vision and mission of this institution, that it is likely to be more of an educational institution rather than just a regular institution although its active substances and programs are pure institution (the data is fetched from the background of children who are in these institutions).

The vision of this institution is to "make Putra Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Institution as a social, educational, and religious institution that creates Muhammadiyah’s skilled, independent 2 , and noble future cadres. This is then translated into three missions, which are (1) to give formal education at least until completing high school according to the children’s talents and interests, (2) to provide religious

2 There is no generic standard of the independency concept set by Muhammadiyah Institution. A senior leader of Muhammadiyah Institution once gave his opinion about being independent. Unfortunately, the independency he was talking about is the independency of the institution, not the independency of the children. According to him, there are four indicators for an institution to be considered independent: (1) has an absolute authority in managing its own financial planning although it still may be transparent; (2) able to manage a local and regional networking for the capital access and able to circulate the capital in real activities; and (4) able to develop every potential the children may have to the maximum so that they can be of work-place ready and good national cadres.




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and moral education professionally, (3) to provide education and self-reliance skills according to their talents, willingness, interest and the demands of the changing era.

Related to the institution capacity to accommodate the children, it all depends on the financial capability and capacity of the room. In 2011, there are the total of 106 of live-in foster

children and 25 children living in a family. This number continued to decline until 2013, the institution only accommodated 70 live-in children and 20 non-institutional children. More detail can be seen from the following Table 1, taken from three different academic years.

Table 1. Live-in Institution Children and Non-Institutional Children 2010-2014

Description 2010-11 2012-13 2013-14 Yogyakarta Local Area 8 7 6 Outside Yogyakarta 91 51 59 Outside Java 16 12 11 Non-institutional 25 25 20 Total 131 children 95 children 96 children

From the table above we can see the origin of foster children living in Lowanu Institution, ranging from the most dominant, who are coming from outside of Yogyakarta province then followed by those from outside Java and the third place is children from The Privileged Area of Yogyakarta (Bantul and Sleman). The table has not changed for the last four years. For children who live outside the institution it has been deliberately separated to show how the amount of family / education compensations are gradually reduced. It is based on a story from an informant at the administrative department who is considering reducing the amount of family compensation.

According to the document reports that we received, children who live in this house are more because the capacity insufficiency of the room rather than the understanding that the children are getting the best care in the family. From Table 1 above, we can hardly find orphans who were born in the

city of Yogyakarta, who live in an orphanage. Thus the data submitted by the informant is 'valid'. It will be a discussion in the next section.

Just like the founders and Muhammadiyah institution staff in general, the institution caregivers see the institution as a part of the social services that can help people to educate their children so that they can be independent people with noble character, and can be Muhammadiyah cadres later in the future. The 'conventional' roles of Muhammadiyah in the form of institution provider simply can not be considered small because through hundreds of institution organizations, Muhammadiyah institutions have put real efforts in helping the orphans, abandoned children, babies without parents, and commercial sex workers (PSK – Pekerja Seks Komersial).

RESEARCH METHOD

From the beginning, the research is a qualitative type of research with




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Appreciative Inquiry approach to obtain the desired data that is related to the initiatives de-institutionalization (De-I), or the reunification done by the institution caregivers along with the stakeholders’ support. However, this study also does not close any possibility that what will be discovered later is just the matter of pre-conditions to start the De-I project due to human resource constraints, perception, paradigm, and the strong ideology. With AI approach all data collected is expected to continue to provide benefits in mapping and future strategies.

Practically, the AI can be understood from those two words. First, ‘appreciative’ means systematic effort to recognize the best things that individual / communities around us do, to increase the values. Second, this approach is intended to explore and discover and to ask questions.

In addition, Appreciative Inquiry can also be interpreted as:

1. A collaboration search about the best practice done by the individual / community, or a certain organization.

2. Systematic discovery of something that can create the most effective running system in terms of economic, environmental, and social ability.

3. The art and practice of asking questions to encourage and stregthen the system’s ability in order to multiply the positive outcomes.

4. An assumption that every living system within an organization / community has the resources, assets, wealth, and positive inspiration that has been untapped.

5. Linking "positive change core" directly to the change agenda.

This can be understood by looking at the cycle expressed by Whithney (2010) as follows:

Following are some literature studies about social workers and orphanage that are interesting to be understood, to provide a context in where we are and what data we are looking for, related to the presence of orphanage (residential care) particularly in Indonesia.

1. Social work for children and vulnerable family is pathetic, lack of resources, and low in grade in many situations. Training and

support for social workers is often lacking.

2. Approach to social work often focuses on only the individual case/ work, where it may not be suitable where there are a lot of social workers and where bigger social transformation is needed.

3. Social workers often concentrate on bureaucratic work, such as social protection administration, which do




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not use their skills and abilities to the maximum (the best practices).

4. Good practices that exist in many countries and regions mostly through pilot projects and some are built in the national system. The global situation is expected to

find positive forces for future change to improve the quality of social workers and support the children and vulnerable families around the world, by building the forces that exist in the current system and align it to the local context

AI approach is chosen for several reasons, they are:

1. To develop the strengths of the service program for children without parental care.

2. To learn about what makes it possible to work for children and families

3. To promote cooperation and collaboration plan

4. To map the current system and identify where social work may give a positive influence.

5. To identify and develop the strength to change.

6. To promote a shared vision for a better quality of social work.

According to Cooperrider and Pratt (1995) there are at least 4 principle guides , among other things: first, the inquiry into the life of the organization / community must begin with an appreciation of the efforts and experience of its actors (appreciative). In other words, we must learn to understand what we have and what does not exist / available. Second, the investigation for the possibility must be put into realization for the purpose we wish to achieve. Third, a provocative investigation so the process should arouse us and make us want to work to improve the results; and fourth, the investigation should be done

collaboratively - We must understand each other to create a systematic change.

This research is a case study intended to analyze a specific situation both in practice and the situations in it. In this topic, the case study is ideally supposed to be learning about micro and macro situation of mutual interaction. The macro situation can be seen from the policies and government regulations aspects and support programs while in the specific study context, this case study will have a lot to do with how management and funding agencies run, the role of social workers (quantity and quality), infrastructure support and key aspects that support the sustainability of social services.

Data obtained by engaging participants through FGD (Focus Group Discussion) and interview. FGD is intended to identify a range of opinions, impressions, and perceptions held by the participants within a relatively short time (3-4 hours). The interview itself is meant to deepen the information possessed by the subject on a predetermined topic. Following Kvale and Brinkmann (2008:102), the study has seven stages: to determine the theme (thematizing), design (designing), interviews (interviewing), transcribing (transcribing), analysis (analyzing), verification (verifying), and reporting (reporting). During the field research, we interview with the senior members of regional MPS. In each of the first three study cases, there will be interviews with representatives of regional MPS. This interview will focus on what they have learned from their involvement in this studied initiative. Including the implications for the regional MPS in implementing the new national standards. Also, at the national level research there will be an interview with the senior member of Assembly of Education, Social, Health, Empowerment, Lazis, and Assembly of Economic in Jakarta. I addition, we Interviews with key stakeholders including UNICEF, Save the




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Children, and the Government of Indonesia to determine their contribution to the change as well as their hopes for the future of family support.

PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS / PARTICIPANTS

Participants in this study consisted of the institution caregivers/ staff, representatives of family, and the

institution children. They were included in each FGD of 10 people and were also interviewed about each of the elements (see Respondents Table). Some of the related information is also obtained from the stakeholder panel of social service assembly consisting of stakeholders from Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta regional leadership structure which consists of a panel of social services, Dikdasmen, and a panel of community empowerment.

Table 2. Research Activities and Participants

No Activity Category / Participants Amount 1 FGD Children in Institution 10 2 Interview Children in Institution 4 3 Interview Children outside Institution 3 4 FGD Staff 10 5 Interview Staff 3 6 FGD Parents/ Family 10 7 Interview Parents/ Family 3 8 Interview Muhammadiyah Council 4 Number of participants

Respondents/ participants who were included in this study consist of staff representatives, families and children. For families and children, they made up of families and children who receive family benefits (non-nursing) and also the families whose children join the institution as well as children who live-in the institution. The qualification of children involved were ranging from children who are in elementary school, junior high/ MT, and high school/ vocational school. Most of the children involved are children from religious school and vocational school. The vocational school becomes a place to learn for the institutional children because it teaches expertise that after they are done with school, they can automatically get out

of the institution and gain wider employment opportunities.

Interview respondents from institution staff were appointed by the institution’s leader and as for the family of representatives, the caregivers who are more familiar with the child’s family designated them. Families of all participants came from two locations: the city of Yogyakarta and nearby district, the Bantul district. Average families involved are labors, workers, farmers, or street sellers. In general, they are the biological parents, either the mother or father of the children who are supported.

Here is a brief profile of foster children who are involved in FGD as shown in Table 1.




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Table 3. List Of The Children Joining FGD

No Name Place, DOB School Grade Status

1 Ahmad Habibi A Boyolali, 17 December

2002

Pakel Public

Elementary

School

5 Fatherless

2 Ditya Amiftakhul R Magelang, 21 May 1999 MTs Muh

Karangkajen

9 Fatherless

3 Siswono Purbalingga, 18 August

1998

MTs Muh

Karangkajen

9 Fatherless

4 Dwi Khoerul

Prasetyo

Semarang, 14 January

1997

Muh 3

Vocational

School

10 Under

privileged

5 Tri Thoni Riyanto Boyolali, 22 November

1997

Muh 1

Vocational

School

10 Under

privileged

6 Andrianto Banjarnegara, 03 April

1995

SMK SMTI 11 Under

privileged

7 Hanif Akbar W Jakarta, 23 January 1997 SMK SMTI 11 Fatherless

8 Wika Tri Afrilianto Jakarta, 28 April 1997 SMK Muh 3 11 Fatherless

9 Misbahudin Purbalingga, 28 March

1994

SMK N 6 12 Orphan

10 Nur Abdullah Purbalingga, 02 July

1995

Plantation

Vocational

School MM 52

12 Orphan

Although by the origin, almost everyone was born outside Yogyakarta but some of them are Yogyakarta descends and currently returned to Yogyakarta but stay at the institution due to financial factor, one of the parents dies, and broken home families. Three out of ten children still have complete parents and no one actually does not have a family. This situation has contributed a lot of stories of joy and sorrow that will be discussed next.

LIMITATION

Research, we believe, in all kinds, obviously have limitations both in terms of method, instruments, and researchers’ knowledge as the implementers of the activities. Included as a study with instruments / tools, AI approach is

undergoing its own dynamics. The process of implementation and evaluation of the study include some of the following:

a. Methodological Issues

AI approach with the use of FGD and interviews has a limitation where the interaction seems stiff especially when FGD and interviews were held when the researcher team is not too familiar with the participants. It was even the first time for most of the families, children, and staff to be involved in FGD to talk about things that are 'sensitive', concerning managerial, parental choice in institution, and about the feelings of the children who live in




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institution and the feelings of living at home (children living with families, or called non-institution children).

Society in general, including the participants of this study have a tendency to prefer the express problems either within their authority reach to change the state or any outside party so it is difficult to dig initiative or success stories as long as they become a part of the interaction in their own environment. When we tried to dig the positive outcomes, they tend to 'be nostalgic' with the institution’s management in the past, while the children and the parents had trouble finding anything positive they had ever felt or experienced. After a while, they showed a general trend that family affection is the most important thing.

b. Instruments/research tools

Researchers were actually confident using the type of probing questions, but we often ran into obstacles due to the difficulty of using the type of questions that we think are very western, such as ‘could it be described in more detail', ‘how is your feeling sir/ ma’am/ kid?’ The “tell me more” type of question is very difficult to implement and based on our experience, the participants tend to be quiet and was already prepared to answer the next questions rather than describing more to what they had already said. In addition, the language issue got a little harder since some respondents from families are unable to speak Bahasa Indonesia. It caused a bit of difficulty to the note taker with very little Javanese language proficiency. This issue could be resolved because we recorded the whole interview process.

To avoid tension, short games were played in between FGD activities to provide a relaxing and confident atmosphere. Children who were shy to introduce themselves and talk about their situation and their family could work in pairs and pick their own partner to whom they felt most comfortable with. After that, each participant introduced their partner’s situation ever since they were still in a family, how they got into the institution, as well as the ups and downs of living in an institution. This activity got all the participants active and brought laughter even though in the beginning their eyes were teary but at the end, the situation turned warmer. Some people who didn’t express themselves in the forum regarding the uncomfortable situation were finally able to talk about it after the researcher talked to them face-to-face, starting by asking what they wanted to be in the future along with giving a relevant motivation.

DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH SITES (CASE STUDY)

Issues expressed by participants were an expression of generality when a question posed in the study - they preferred to express the problems rather than the ability to appreciate the best practices that had been encountered by caregivers (leaders, administrators, staff, and volunteers). The issue that got stronger is the lacking of leadership that great activities they had over the years could not be sustained.

From this study we also found the ‘fact’ that the 47 people reunification story at Lowanu Putra Muhammadiyah Institution was not proven true. This could have been caused by different perceptions. PAY (the institution) only accommodates children from elementary to high school ages. Some people who were supported to




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the college level is a 'cadre' who, in the future, will help take care of the children as well. One single caregiver can take care of 10 children in average. Thus, the 47 children who were returned might have been those who had finished high school. There was also a case where 11 children were discharged more as a punishment than reunification.

Some innovations emerged from institution management reform initiative is to implement a rigorous assessment system when accepting children either from Yogyakarta Greater Area or from outside the region or even outside Java. Assessment, the last few years, was done by directly visiting their area of origin before they were actually accepted. This, according to some of the caregivers and leaders, is done so that children who can still live with their family may remain in their family. Only when faced with the question of education, caregivers and nursing leadership could not provide solutions, especially to those who live outside Yogyakarta. It may be a future recommendation.

It may not be different from the admission system at the other PAY (institution). There are a couple of interesting things we can deliver here. There are several parties or stakeholders involved. First, it is the caregivers who usually perform the assessments to families who want to send their children by asking some checklists/ questions and also record the direct observations of the families. Second, the presence of religious institutions at the children’s origin village. The religious institutions can be a Muhammadiyah central branch/ sub-branch or mosque/ mosque organization. The acceptance contract for Lowanu Institution foster children is not between Institution-Family (individual), but between the agency with the institution (institution-to-Institution).

It’s a context where Islamic religious institutions are at the location. It is intended to get a clear responsibility model as well as a guarantee from the local organizations at their area. Finally, the role

of institution’s alumni. Due to the very old age, PAY the institution has already generated thousands of alumni who are scattered in different places with their respective degrees of success. The foster children know many of them active. For foster children from outside Java, they usually get approval from the alumni who come from outside Java, especially those who are living in Yogyakarta. This can be reviewed because of the trust to the alumni, besides it is more effective since it is not possible to scan it all the way outside Java. The percentage of the children from Java and outside Java from year to year can be shown as the following table:

Ironically, some of the leaders in the institution want to remove the family support model, commonly called 'non-institutional' - children who receive educational support from the institution but not living in, instead live with their family. The total average annually is 20 children from the city of Yogyakarta and centralized in one school, which is Mts Muhammadiyah, Karangkajen.

From different participants who are stakeholders in the Regional Leadership Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta can be expressed in general related to this issue that the institution should remain, because it is the form of Muhammadiyah’s social services that has been initiated since long ago especially in Lowanu, which is Muhammadiyah’s first institution. The existence of social institutions is one of the pillars of Muhammadiyah movement in addition to health and education. However, support from the assembly has not been enough shown especially the structure in the area of Muhammadiyah. With such situation, it is rather difficult to start a reunification discussion because the institution was still busy finding a way to survive and getting sufficient financial source.

The ‘minimum’ role of Muhammadiyah structure at the regional level as well as the area can be traced from the main source of revenue to fund the institutions. The greatest sources of funds come from donors/ community, followed




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by government aid, independent institutions, and Dharmais Foundation Jakarta. 3 According to an institution caregiver, the amount of financial aid from the government and Dharmais is getting smaller from year to year. While donors remain relatively stable. Another leader just wanted to be independent from external donors and emphasizing more on the development of institution-owned enterprises such as rice field and rental buildings. According to the regional MPM board (Community Development Council), it is a good idea but often times the empowerment done by the institution is very sporadic and not systematic that when there’s a change in management, the different policies often disturb empowerment program’s sustainability.

It is a fact that the ratio between the numbers of children with the staff/ daily caregivers is non-comparable. There are at least 10 daily caregivers who incidentally university student while the leaders or the management don’t monitor the condition of the children regularly. Below is a picture of the burden of Trustees / children caregivers:

3 In year 2010, the amount of money from the donors was IDR 109.145.350, from the enterprise was IDR 5.100.000,-, from the government was IDR 8,394,165,-, from Dharmais Foundation was IDR 2.250,000 (source: Annual report and activity evaluation of Putra Muhammadiyah Lowanu Institution, 2010).




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Table 4. List of The Caregivers and The Children

NO Grade Amount of

Children

Name of Caregiver

1 Elementary School 3 Rudia Agazi

2 7th grade 16 Agus Eko P/ Sunarjo

3 8th grade 11 M Saprudin Nawawi

4 9th grade 12 Julianto

5 10th grade 10 Nur Fais

6 11th grade 6 Neni

7 12th grade 9 Nurudin Hamzah

Some years earlier there was cooperation with the university that is UAD (Ahmad Dahlan University – Universitas Achmad Dahlan) psychology major to help with children handling and mentoring. 4

However, since year 2012 the program was no longer coordinated for no apparent reason. Very likely this was the result of management change. Although the cooperation program with the campus was considered less effective for the children care but they needed an innovation that involve the campus as an available resource. Innovation indeed is the key to improve the quality of service and at the same time efforts to diversify the service model is necessary, it should not only bring children live in institution - but the campus may support to strengthen the families and to prepare them to receive again their children who are temporarily in the institution.

4 At the time the research was being conducted, I only found one volunteer from the National Islamic University. The recently graduated student said that he became a volunteer personally and not representing any organization or institution. The decision to be involved was based by his own initiative to apply the knowledge he had gained. At the end I figured that the student is a member of Muhammadiyah Students Association.

REASONS FOR FAMILY-BASED SUPPORT (WHY IS KEEPING CHILDREN IN FAMILIES SO IMPORTANT?)

To answer the question about how the best parenting system for the children could be obtained, researcher asked this question to all group of participants, either it is the children, family, staff, and caregivers by first providing an opportunity to tell what kind of positive thoughts the participants had when seeing the children stayed at the institution, including the children themselves to tell the positive values when living at the institution and at home. Once the participants have gotten enough opportunities, the researchers then gave another opportunity for FGD staff and parents to express in writing what’s good about living in the institution and at home for the children. The following table is a summary taken from two FGDs for families and staff.




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Tabel 5. Staff and Family Perceptions on Foster Children Existence

Living-in The Institution Living at Home

1. More independent 2. Worship / Pray more regularly 3. Receiving formal/ informal education

(vocational school/ university) 4. Creative and having a lot of

achievements. 5. Financially covered (clothes/ food) 6. Learning to adapt 7. Running a modest life 8. Discipline 9. Help ease the parents’ burden

1. Getting the parents’ / family affection.

2. Getting the attention from the parents.

3. Self Confident 4. Can socialize with the

community. 5. Free 6. Comfortable 7. Closer to family.

Almost all FGD participants agreed that the primary care and the first and the best is in a family with parents where their affection can not be replaced with affection from elsewhere. The affection from the staff and institution’s caregivers is very limited. It is recognized by the participants especially the institution does not have an exemplary figure whom the children can see on daily basis, because, in practice, the staff or caregiver field has been more like a tutor and not able to completely replace the role of parents. That is, although there are many advantages of living in an institution, of course the need of family affection is very important. It also encourages the idea and understanding that the family is the main element and try as much so that the children are not sent to the institution unless circumstances do not allow them to live with their family.

From the same FGD we may also cite the original words on how the participants appreciate their family being. According to the participants, a family is:

1. “…a major supporter for the success”

2. “…a place to share the ups and downs”

3. “…the motivator and life’s complimentary”

4. “…the first and the last to love me” 5. “…a place to learn, to get affection,

to be raised and develop” 6. “…without my family, I don’t

mean anything.”

7. “…as a motivator.” 8. “…family as one of the purposes in

life.” 9. “…as a shelter, and sharing the

after-life” 10. “…personality shaper” 11. “….like the limbs.”

A daughter of one of the PAY former caregivers who is also a current staff also expressed her opinion on family:

“Family means a lot to me, and when my mother died it was raining. That's when I really hate the rain while my father always told me that the rain is not evil. Shortly after the lapse of 2 years, my father remarried a kindergarten teacher and after that my father died and it was my stepmother who took care of me until now. My family is the core of forming my personality. And today my eyes were swollen from crying because it is the birthday of my mother. "(said in tears)

Another young caregiver who is also PAY alumni also shared her personal story:

“When I was little, my mother taught me to be independent by selling stuff. I lived at Banjarnegara at the time. My father worked as a laborer in Jakarta. I was at the 4th grade at the time.”

With a mindset that is very positive towards family, it actually has provided a pre-condition to develop family strengthening efforts both in terms of economy and education so it won’t be so




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easy to send their children to social institutions especially for children before teenager ages who really require 'affection' from their parents / family.

In addition to the family meaning, there have also been some situations or events that made the caregivers relieved. Some of the quotations below are expected to represent a wide variety of expression that had been said in both FGD forums and one-on-one interviews:

“I feel happy when my online donation program was getting a result. I feel like I can do something although it’s small.”

-Dede

“Having an outstanding child of course makes us, the caregivers as their parents truly happy and and proud. Like when they made it to the top three achievers in their class.”

-Irfan

“When we provide them with food and they don’t eat it, we feel sad. But otherwise when they eat it, we feel satisfied. Their favorites are meatballs and vegetable soup. I am glad when they can share their stories and problems. It is really fulfilling for me. Generally they chat during meal time…”

-Kitchen staff

A caregiver surely has their own motivation to be involved in the

institution’s social work. Let’s say Mrs. Nina, who told us her own reason in an interview:

“My father once a caregiver here and asked me to help at the institution. I have worked here for 3 years, and only in the evening since I have to teach at a kindergarten in the morning. Maybe when I’m married later, I will have to leave but the closeness with the children here makes me more calm and to live with all the other caregivers is exciting for me.”

While for the 'actors' or the foster children themselves, they have their own views related to the advantages and disadvantages of living in the institution and at home. When a child feels ‘comfortable’ living in the institution, they usually have their individual factors that are sometimes very personal. Like Zainal (not a real name) who has his own reason, "... the good thing about living in an institution is when I can become a big brother for the children at the institution.” The existence of the social environment at the institution is considered able to 'replace' the sibling-like structure in the family so there is big brother and sister system according to their age level and level of education.

For more details and to find out more the other’s views and opinions, the following table the summary.

Table 6. Comparison of living in an institution and at home Living in Institution Living at Home

1. “…want to finish the study first..” 2. “…to help reduce the parents’ burden.” 3. “I only have a few more months left

here, let’s just finish it..” 4. “…can study in groups.” 5. “…to practice living independently” 6. “…togetherness, experience, discipline,

self-reliance..” 7. “Lots of friend.” 8. “Can help each other.”

1. “Close to the parents,” 2. “…can help my parents.” 3. “receiving more affection from the

parents.” 4. “can get together with the parents and

siblings.” 5. “there’s some sort of freedom we cannot

get at PAY” 6. “My mother’s food tastes more

delicious.” 7. “Cared by the family.” 8. “The memorable advice my family gave

me.” 9. “…it’s the most exciting when we can

meet and gather with the family.” 10. “To help my parents earning money.”




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According to the institution alumnus, Ari (not a real name), in general, children who live in PAY is due to "economy issues” ... so it is possible that they may not be able to continue their education so alternatively, they stay at the institution. Especially if they go to vocational school where there are many costs such as the cost of the practice, buildings, etc.. To maintain the relationships with their family, in general the caregiver or team leader tries to get the phone number of the child's parents in order to provide information by text messages related to the development of children in the institution. In addition, another reason why a child feels more comfortable staying at the institution is probably because of the family firmness factor. A child said:

“My own parents actually want me to live at home with the family but now that my father got remarried and his wife is not like my own mother when she was alive, I don’t feel as comfortable living at home anymore..”

However, in general the children involved in these activities have a high enough tribute to the existence of families and parents. A child, namely Arham, has a sense of extraordinary affection to his mother and wanted to live with his parents because the almost-graduated kid cannot wait to help his mother earn some money. He ended up being in the institution because his uncle had brought him there. Arham’s uncle got the information from a neighbor who had lived in at the same institution where Arham now lives. Of the

various processes of data collection, the writer can conclude that there is a positive image about the alumni of this institution because a lot of alumni are considered successful to enter the work place. This makes sense because the kids who are in residence for upper secondary education are put in SMK (vocational school). And alumni turned out to have a fairly strong role as to who could be sent to the institution all these times and maybe in the future.

Although it is known to the caregivers, but there is no strict punishment regarding the matter. There are also parents who do not want to see their children at the institution as often due to 'respect’ the feelings of children who come from outside the area who do not get visited by their parents and families. The reason for the children from Bantul to still be in institutional care is to relieve the burden on their parents, at least when their parents told them to stay at the institution they can not refuse. While all the entire kinds of needs that they receive in the orphanage, they actually can get in their own families. The basic needs that they don’t acquire at the institution are the needs of freedom, love of parents/ family/ relatives, and the time to share their problems directly to their parents.

Some of the children complained about the never-ending activities both at school and at the institution so they often feel sore. In general, the children return to the institution after 12 at noon and then followed by the institution’s activities. To give you an idea, here is a standard schedule at the institution.

Tabel 7: Daily Activity Schedule of PAY Institution Children

Time Activity

04.00-05.00 Wake up, do the dawn prayer and read the Koran

05.00-05.30 Cleaning time

05.30-06.00 Get ready to go to school

06.00-06.45 Breakfast then go to school

06.45-13.00 School time




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13.00-14.45 Lunch Break

14.45-15.30 Afternoon prayer and Tadarus

15.30-17.00 Evening cleaning time, sport, play time

17.00-17.45 Evening bath

17.45-19.30 Maghrib Prayer, Isya prayer, religious discussion.

19.30-20.00 Dinner

20.00-2130 Study

21.30-22.00 Watch TV

22.00-04.00 Rest.

Source: PAY Documents, 2013

NB : Evening Ahad is speech practice and Friday service practice. Night Ahad, Ba’da Maghrib, to the Isya time is for trustees activities.

Issues expressed by participants were an expression of generality when a question posed in the study - they preferred to express the problems rather than the ability to appreciate the best practices that had been encountered by caregivers (leaders, administrators, staff, and volunteers). The issue that got stronger is the lacking of leadership that great activities they had over the years could not be sustained.

From this study we also found the ‘fact’ that the 47 people reunification story at Lowanu Putra Muhammadiyah Institution was not proven true. This could have been caused by different perceptions. PAY (the institution) only accommodates children from elementary to high school ages. Some people who were supported to the college level is a 'cadre' who, in the future, will help take care of the children as well. One single caregiver can take care of 10 children in average. Thus, the 47 children who were returned might have been those who had finished high school. There was also a case where 11 children were discharged more as a punishment than reunification.

Some innovations emerged from institution management reform initiative is to implement a rigorous assessment system when accepting children either from Yogyakarta Greater Area or from outside the region or even outside Java.

Assessment, the last few years, was done by directly visiting their area of origin before they were actually accepted. This, according to some of the caregivers and leaders, is done so that children who can still live with their family may remain in their family. Only when faced with the question of education, caregivers and nursing leadership could not provide solutions, especially to those who live outside Yogyakarta. It may be a future recommendation.

It may not be different from the admission system at the other PAY (institution). There are a couple of interesting things we can deliver here. There are several parties or stakeholders involved. First, it is the caregivers who usually perform the assessments to families who want to send their children by asking some checklists/ questions and also record the direct observations of the families. Second, the presence of religious institutions at the children’s origin village. The religious institutions can be a Muhammadiyah central branch/ sub-branch or mosque/ mosque organization. The acceptance contract for Lowanu Institution foster children is not between Institution-Family (individual), but between the agency with the institution (institution-to-Institution).

It’s a context where Islamic religious institutions are at the location. It is intended to get a clear responsibility




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model as well as a guarantee from the local organizations at their area. Finally, the role of institution’s alumni. Due to the very old age, PAY the institution has already generated thousands of alumni who are scattered in different places with their respective degrees of success. The foster children know many of them active. For foster children from outside Java, they usually get approval from the alumni who come from outside Java, especially those who are living in Yogyakarta. This can be reviewed because of the trust to the alumni, besides it is more effective since it is not possible to scan it all the way outside Java. The percentage of the children from Java and outside Java from year to year is shown at the previous Table 3.

Ironically, some of the leaders in the institution want to remove the family support model, commonly called 'non-institutional' - children who receive educational support from the institution but not living in, instead live with their family. The total average annually is 20 children from the city of Yogyakarta and centralized in one school, which is Mts Muhammadiyah, Karangkajen.

THE STRENGTHS OF INITIATIVE

Several things that can become the strength points of management dynamic at the institution and non-institution system in Putra Muhammadiyah Institution can be explained by a few things. First, being the oldest institution, Putra Muhammadiyah has had many and long history of experience in its exceeding one hundred years of age. In this age, the institution actually has a strong enough reason to make efforts to revitalize the institution management. The fact that this institution has supported families for decades without asking the children to live in the institution is one of the plus points. It was performed many years ago before there was a systematic effort by the government to reduce the number of institutions. Efforts to strengthen the family to keep their children at home are only constrained by the model of leadership they had (perhaps

conventional) that the transformation couldn’t not be manifested fully.

One of the caregivers and staff that has been working at the institution for over 20 years, expressed his thought:

“… Family compensation in the form of pocket money, clothes, and rice between 1970-1993 was omitted. I don’t know why. Maybe because there had been a change in management but I myself prefer the previous regulations since it strengthened our togetherness better.”

In addition, regulatory and financial support both from the government and Muhammadiyah’s greater structure makes the family strengthening possible, even more powerful and not vice versa. What happened in Lowanu PAY is an anomaly in which the maturity of an institution does not exactly strengthen family revitalization initiative but rather, keeping the conventional ways of managing social services. Some of Muhammadiyah elite members have actually made a call for renewal (tajdid) in social service efforts, that it may be directed to the socio-preneurship where trainings about it had been run in both regional and local levels. The professionalization of the management’s charitable efforts have not fully absorbed to become the spirit of the institutions’ stakeholders.

All these times, the institution caregivers don’t have a strong paradigm on giving a perspective service that there has been a profit-oriented phenomenon in institution service at various institutions across Indonesia. This phenomenon is certainly sad for the children who were separated from their family only to become a tool to gain material advantage by the institution caregivers and staff. One of the plus points of this nearly a century old institution is shown from the child’s perspective at the program description and institution profile year 2011. Here is the citation:

"... The children play a role as a subject that must be considered in accordance with




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their nature. The institution’s role is to create the conditions of a family, as well as the substitute of father / mother at home. “

To place the children as the subject is a very transformative idea, considering that generally, even in formal educational institutions, children are portrayed as an 'object' rather than active subjects who can certainly contribute more according to their needs. However, the practice of making the children as a subject is certainly not as easy as imagined. As the paradigm embodiment, this institution put their best effort to develop programs and activities based on children's needs: "of the children, by the children, and for the children." Because of the involvement orientation, children who were considered qualified in leadership skills formed an organization named OSDA (OrganisasiSantri Darussalam – Darussalam Islamic Preacher Organization). By the organization, caregivers and staff only function as activites coordinator. One of OSDA purposes is to be a role model for younger children (new foster children) as well as protectors at the institution and at school.5 Muhammadiyah PAY institution is also trying to put the community as a partner that can support the activities at both institutions as a socialization medium or as a place to learn the realities of real life, which cannot be obtained directly at the institution. The supporting activity can be an invitation for Koran recitation at the donor’s house and for the caregivers, they are usually invited to lead the Koran recitation at the surrounding areas (Yogyakarta city greater area). Just like in

5 Orphanage’s Muhammadiyah Institution applies a system where they send the children to schools alike so that they are easier to coordinate. There are several types of collaboration between the institution and the school. For vocational school level, there are some kids who have more skills and they deserve to continue their education at a good vocational school outside Muhammadiyah’s such as SMTI (Sekolah Menengah Tekhnologi Industri – Industrial Technology Middle School – that is very popular among the children.)

the other places, these children are invited to pray for the donor’s success and they usually love this activity especially when in the end they get food and a little pocket money. That was one of the expressions of a caregiver jokingly, and but it is true that kids are happy whenever they received a Koran recitation invitation from the donors.

THE FUTURE OF FAMILY CARE (WISHES FOR THE FUTURE)

Only one of the 10 institution caregivers who sees the need for a systemic effort of a deinstitutionalization. Some see this institution being very important, as it becomes a necessity. Another reason is, even without doing any 'marketing promotion', this institution is already very much visited by the donors or family, or organizations who want to put their children in the institution. Moreover the since the 1990s, the institution has been integrated with Islamic boarding school. The same phenomenon occurs in various places related to the double functioning of the childcare institution.

Many statements said that donors were considering the presence of the children in the institution – means that the donors want to see the kids in the institution instead of their family home. This issue becomes a serious concern for the team and we make every effort to confirm it to the leadership and caregivers. Many caregivers do not see this issue as a problem as the donors were explained that the presence of the children is not only at the institution but also at their family’s home. A caregiver claimed:

“…if the management can give an understanding to the donors so that they can understand that the institution also has family care system. Sometimes the donors come directly to our office and sometimes ask what a non-institution means. Generally a lot of the donors have understood it.”




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"For the past several years, the complain topic has been about the poor management system because the gap between the leaders, the staff, and children is too far and should be corrected,” added an FGD participant. It turned out that the gap between the leaders of the foster child was considered a serious problem that it became a discussion at several events. It also became the hope of the future changes.

In the research process, the research team found it difficult to enter the DI because the growing issue was not DI but numerous attempts to revitalize the existence of institution, management, leadership, financial resources, and education quality of the learners and community involvement initiatives in the educational process at the institution (participatory). When researchers gave an opportunity to convey their expectations to the FGD participants in a card for staff as containing the following:

1. Social Services 2. Funding3. Reunification4. Autonomy 5. Management 6. Professionalism7. Family care/ support / non-

institutional

The researcher believes that the list above contained strategic issues that are successfully mapped from face to face interviews performed which then taken to the FGD (Focus Group Discussion). When the participants were given the opportunity to sort the list starting from the most important to the least priority, the results can be described as follows.

From 10 FGD participants of group of institution staff, five of which puts social services as the main orientation of the institution existence. That means the institution existence is the 'hope' and 'demand' of the society, not only in the in the area but also outside the Yogyakarta area. It is also considered to be a motivation for implementing Islamic

educational boarding school system in the institution since 1990. Three out of ten participants placed the management/ managerial issue as their most concern to be solved soon considering the age of the institution. The institution management became a hot discussion where the institution is considered lacking on leadership figure. It is caused by the absence of the “elders” in the institution so some staff likened this situation as 'chicks lost the roster'. As a result, activities that involved the community, including non-institution children were a bit ignored.

Other participants put “funding” as a major issue. This is due to the demands of the higher operating costs. Although there have been productive efforts such as developing the rice field and building rental for wedding receptions, but the presence of donors remains very important. Due to financial issues also, a participant through the interview expressed her opinion on the existence of family care, where she thought is less effective and had an initiative to cancel it. The intention is to focus more to children who are living in the institution. Estimated cost per child per year of primary school age to vocational school age on average is 4-6 million Rupiah, which consists of tuition fees/ educational fee, pocket money, clothes, food, and year-end bonus.

As for the parents/ family we did the same thing, from personal interviews, children, and FGD. For parents, we provided a card with the writing on it as follows:

1. Affection 2. Care3. Education 4. Aspiration5. Compensation 6. Cost of Living 7. Security 8. Peace9. Residence/ home

Related to the initiatives on family support strengthening and reunification actually a small initiative has appeared or




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forward thinking, either emerged from FGDs / interviews with the children, staff, and families. How this initiative can be explained, here are some interviews citations / statements the participants of three different groups said: From the children living in an institution:

“…before my parents couldn’t afford my education. But now I can choose.. of course I choose to live at home.”

“I have a friend to play with at home, and I can help my parents… but my uncle is very strict…” (the uncle had the initiative to bring the child to the institution)

“…I thought I was sent here to join the Islamic boarding house..”

The children’s background in the institution are quite diverse, but substantially they are sent to an institution, living away from the family even in an early age and in fact some of them still have families who can afford to raise them up but the awareness of raising a child in a family has shifted. Before, our family would help if there was a relative in trouble or help them financially when they lost their parents. But now both sides are reluctant to ask for help and also offer help even though we’re family. A child said that he had stayed at his uncle's house in Bantul but did not feel 'at home' and it was uncomfortable. After all, living in the family home where it doesn’t belong to the biological parents, there is a general tendency of unfair treatment.

There are also other factors, for example the initiative of the family, like in the case of Hanif, where his uncle resolved all matters to send him to an institution. His biological parents are still alive and the child is also more comfortable staying in their own homes with all their limitations and capabilities. But the uncle’s intervention in this case is very strong and even parents and children can not refuse to be sent to an orphanage. That is another

factor that is quite interesting to note. Another one issue is that children only got a little information that they would be sent to the institution when all they know, they were sent to boarding school to learn religion. In some cases, this is a form of dishonesty to the child. There were tons of disappointments when they arrived at the site and it turned out an institution. However, it turns out that the children were relatively resilient and able to adapt well in an environment that was initially uncomfortable.6

The 'efforts to return the children to the family to get the best care' initiative also faced some obstacles both in terms of cultural, economic, and also internal management and leadership in the institution. First, the cultural barrier is strongly influenced by the level of education that is uneven in both the family and the institution staff. There is still a strong assumption and belief that the existence of the institution of charity orphanage is a field for managers and donors. There are many, though not all, donors who contributed some funds to the institution under the condition where the children have to live in the institution. There was only one staff who confidently said that "the Prophet Muhammad did not live in an institution and nor did he set up one" so that in the future this will become temporary residential care, where the

6 In general, elementary school age, 3rd graders, are sent to the institution to finish their education up to the high school/ vocational school level then they can either come back to their family or stay in their area and work. Kids who stayed for longer than 5 years, at the first or second year of their vocational school, according to the information, don’t feel like going home since they would rather wait until they finish their education completely, even though they come from Yogyakarta surrounding regions (Sleman and Bantul). Frankly speaking, the family is happier if the children could stay at home (as they can help the family) under one condition: the institution still provide their tuition fee since the family cannot afford it. In other words, actually the scholarship scheme at high school level supposed to be able to reduce the amount of children living in the institution.




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family situations don’t allow them to keep their child (for a temporary time being).

Of the many papers reporting from the institution, not only from Yogyakarta but also outside Yogyakarta, it can be concluded that efforts to establish the institution and efforts to keep them are related to perceptions / views and beliefs that the institution is part of a Muhammadiyah charitable efforts as evidence of our concern on community issues, such as poverty, ignorance, the number of orphans, and poverty rampant. This belief is reinforced by Allah’s word in the Qur'an that ordered us to sympathize the orphans and the poor. It is a “helping” spirit, and it has been the most important part in social worship that Muhammadiyah believe.

Second, family’s financial issue becomes a reason for family members and community leaders to support the delivery of the children to the institution with a reason ‘to get an education and life skills’. The children in the institution were placed in vocational school with a ‘promise’ to get a job upon finishing school. This is found to be very reasonable for families to release their children who are still in primary school age to stay away from family, away from parents’ love. Apart from that, there are also other motives such as the children are considered 'naughty' in their village, as well as experiencing family disharmony while the other relatives are reluctant to accommodate these children.

The minimum requirements to put the children at Lowanu Institution are:

1. Prospective students should be sent by a local organization, preferably from the a Muhammadiyah branch level of organization,

2. A formal letter from a local government stating that the child is really fatherless or orphans or coming from poor families,

3. Prospective foster children must be able to take care of themselves (minimum 3rd grade age),

4. Birth certificate,

5. Death certificate of father or mother, issued by the local government / village leader,

6. A medical certificate that stated the child is physically and mentally healthy, accompanied by blood type information,

7. STTB, NEM, report cards, and Moving letter by the previous school,

8. Letter of good conduct from the local police station or school,

9. Black and white passport photo size 3x4 and 4x6, 3 pieces each and the film negative,

10. Fill out the form that is provided by the institution,

11. Interview session, 12. All documents must be submitted/

sent to the institution at least a week before the admission announcement.

As the leader stated, the requirements will also be validated by the institution team who will come visit and ask the family directly and the community in which prospective institution children come from. With this tight and firm standard, of course it’s not easy for the family to decide to send their children to the institution and will likely let the children remain in the family if the ability to pay for school is covered. This is in fact often makes legitimacy for families to send their children to the institution especially if they have gotten the support from local leaders / Muhammadiyah organizations /local mosque councils.

Last thing a barrier the author prefers to address as leadership barrier-meaning initiatives to take care of a child in a family is a primary thing and make the institution a temporary shelters are not in command of the people who have authority. Even in this Lowanu PAY case, initiator stood at relatively weak position that is general helpers while the institution head and Muhammadiyah’s local branch leaders stood as policy makers. However there had been tightening efforts in recruitment system, but it does not change




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the mindset that an institution is a place of education, morality, skills, and children training to be independent. It can be seen from the Lowanu vision, "to make Putra Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta as a social, educational and religious institution that creates Muhammadiyah’s skilled, independent, and noble cadres." As a result is that the institution's existence is equated with other educational institutions that is a temporary place and also no initiative for intervention to their families to be able to take care of their own children.

Besides the issue of 'bad' management system, it was due to the dual role that is currently on going. From period to period (five years), we found out that there had been dual positioning between secretary coordinator and treasurer to the management in the department head and staff. The daily caregivers who supervise the kids and the volunteers are not included in the structure. Daily caregivers

who are dealing directly with the children are alumni who are considered outstanding and had received a 'scholarship' to continue their studies up to the university level.

AI approach that was originally expected to see the strength rather than the issue apparently was not running ideally. The problem mapping is much bigger rather than seeing the potential and possibility of strengthening the family as the best care for children. Regarding the issue, we can also describe how stakeholders may intervene in the future (see recommendation).

To the idea of family strengthening possible, at least this chart can be used as a reference related to the roles of stakeholders either done or haven’t been done, as well as the new roles that can accelerate the process of family empowerment socially, culturally, and economically

Tabel 8. Stakeholders Support Internally - Externally

Institution Support (current) OutcomeEducation Assembly School tuition subsidiary,

directly to the school. Institutional children receive education

Social Service Assembly

Management development, program

Institution can measure their capacity.

Tabligh Assembly Ustadz/speaker Speaker availability Cader Assembly Not yet seen -Economy Assembly Not yet seen -PCM and PRM Preparing institution

regulation and administration Management legality/ Foundatiom

PTM Volunteer delivery (now personally)

Institution children can easily be facilitated.

From a discussion with the staff, there are several issues in the list that has been a barrier since the last 10 years, starting in 1998. Some of the issues include: (1) the impact of national financial situation is felt to meet the operational needs of the institution, (2) the low salaries of employees, (3) and the limitation of supporting infrastructure of institutions production activities makes it difficult to optimize the potential of the existing from the ground endowments and buildings.

Yanto Mulya, FORPAMA chairman which was founded in 2007

described in detail the map of Muhammadiyah institution management nationally, and included some of these aspects: (1) weakness of the data base, (2) limited financial resources, (3) the lack of infrastructure and supporting facilities, (4) lack of human resources (HR) professionals in the fields of social services, (5) the children were lacking of 'productivity' after leaving the institution, and the last (6) is related to the weak network the institution has that often times it is difficult to access opportunities and programs from existing sources.




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Putra Muhammadiyah Institution Yogyakarta has also been trying to sustain their existence in social services. Among them is the effort to revamp and restructuring of the institution management system such as in the form of coaching activities and efforts to raise the salaries of the employees. A decent salary is not mentioned descriptively as something that will support the social workers agenda. To overcome the lacking of operational funding issues the institution tried to expand the network and cooperation with various agencies either private or governmental including with community leaders. In addition, the development of productive enterprises in the form of land utilization for agriculture, rice, and trade. Again, here is not so strongly emphasized the roles that can be taken by Muhammadiyah structure.

There are also several reasons among the people which by ideological reasons, push the institution to be independent and avoid "foreign funds" donations from abroad where it will bring bad image (negative stigma) of the Muhammadiyah institution. Therefore, there is a strong push in recent years that some institutions or other charitable social enterprise Muhammadiyah has, should have the support of the charitable efforts of the profit (for example cross-subsidies from universities and hospitals). In addition, the development of entrepreneurship in the institution management is also considered important.

To reinforce the idea, it is important to discuss about stakeholders’ strategic and practical roles in the near future. Please see the table below.

Tabel 9. Stakeholders Support In The Future

Institution Strategic Support /Program

Outcome

Assembly of Education,Elementary to Middle school level and Education Department.

Variety of Scholarship Schemes (High school/ University)

Children may gain access to broader education.

Social Service Council

Management development and institution capacity strengthening.

Institution may prepare an agenda for change/ governance innovation towards professional service.

Council of CommunityEmpowerment

Preparing strategies and family-based economic empowerment program

Strong family

Economy Assembly To help the network gain access to government strategic program

Family involved actively in community economic program.

LazizMu Work together with MPM to do strategic effort in family economic strengthening

Strong family.

The involvement of PTM (Muhammadiyah University) is very important in Yogyakarta context, especially this area has a number of campus and available resources are abundant. We need to emphasize that among all the Muhammadiyah in Yogyakarta, none of them has a campus

social welfare programs (social welfare) while it has the power to be the backbone for social care reform and the professionalization of social workers especially for social service agencies within the context of Muhammadiyah. The necessity of opening the social welfare department is part of the recommendations




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on the strengthening of institutions that will ultimately help strengthen families. Thus, it becomes inevitable because it is very ironic if Muhammadiyah is not capable to supply professional social workers for its own charity.

It is a big challenge considering Muhamammadiyah institution has been very much established and large in number. Based on the records that were reported by FORPAMA in institution directory of 2008, recorded at least 22 thousand institutional children spread across 351 Muhammadiyah institutions run by the assembly. One such challenge is the professionalism in which the institution is no longer oriented by the amount of foster children living in institutions but how it also prioritized social services for children who remain in the family who are financially in need of support. But keep in mind that this is not meant to support the a short-term program, but how to maintain family strengthening programas a long term one (sustainability). So not only the families are able to get out of the problem of financing their children's education but also one day the family is able to help others. This initiative has begun to institutionally reinforced by Council of Social Services (MPS) Muhammadiyah Central Management.

CONCLUSION

From the explanation above, there are at least two major conclusions and one evaluation of the AI approach used. First, there is a shift in general perception in understanding that an institution is purely as which houses children who have no parents or have parents but are not able to meet the basic needs of children (education). This view has been shifted both for the institutional children and parents as the impact of the system 'be-cameral' institution where now transformed into an Islamic boarding school as its new identity. The perception of staying at the institution then becomes positive enough for the kids.

The situation encourages the public to confidently leave their children in the boarding house that in fact using the same the system and method of parenting as in the institution. So, a new face and a new identity contribute to building a positive public perception of assessing the presence institution. In addition, parents have enough reasons to send their child to the institution, such as to be more independent, to get religious education, and to acquire more skills. The third reason is the most dominant to motivate parents.

At the same time, the girls and boys institutions of Muhammadiyah as research areas still retain a particular model of family care for orphans / the poor who still have family in Yogyakarta. Both staff and parents have relatively the same reasons that by living in their own home, at least the children can help with the family economic activity. Thus, the economic factor is still the determination of the logic of this policy. However, from the interview with the staff leaders, we figured that they plan to reduce the family support since it is considered to be less effective.

The recommendations from this study can be geared to at least three institutions, namely (1) institution’s management staff, (2) Assembly of Muhammadiyah, and (3) for the government. Recommendation for institution staff/ caregivers/ volunteer:

1. Building an institution governance agreement that refers to the system developed by Muhammadiyah social services.

2. Build consensus to make efforts in empowering potential families that will send / have sent a child to the institutions by involving various assemblies and stakeholders.

3. Provide capacity building training for volunteers to understand that residential care is temporary and for emergency situations so that when the family is ready to accept the child back, they can immediately facilitate the return.




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Recommendations for Muhammadiyah Councils:

1. Provide a scholarship scheme for vulnerable families to anticipate the attempts to put the child in the institution just because of the difficulty of access to education

2. Making an agreement to make efforts in empowering potential families who will send / have sent their child to the institutions by involving various assemblies and stakeholders.

3. Conduct an educational discussion for the institution staff so that the business orientation does not become a logic operation of social institutions.

4. The structure of the related panel should not only administrative and regulative but how the institution, on a higher level, may set up a scheme to improve or reform. During this time, the institution was trap of pragmatic thinking of how to maintain the institution rather than providing the best service for the children.

Recommendation for the government:

1. Governments are required to seek a family rescue program from inability issue of not able to provide the child’s basic needs.

2. The government is required to consistently and consequently reduce social assistance schemes to orphan institutions and transferred it to encourage families to optimize the economic ability by running empowerment activities

3. The government imposed a monitoring method to oversee the institutions that are too easy in accepting children without strict scanning.

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