An orphanage is an institution devoted to the care of children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable to care for them. Parents, and 

sometimes grandparents, are legally responsible for supporting children, but in the absence of these or other relatives willing to care for the 

children, they become a ward of the state, and orphanages are a way of providing for their care and housing. Foster care and more extensive 

adoption programs have been the preferred practice in many developed nations. However, there will always be a situation where there is a 

shortage of foster parents and will require orphanages to provide care for children.