All Papa's Home activities heavily depend on an intimate knowledge of, and familiarity with, the real everyday situation in the lives of the orphans we are trying to assist. Therefore, a key operating tool is the institutional visit. Before the visit, Papa's Home directors generally try to find out through telephone, e-mail, or other forms of direct contact with the orphan care institution what are its most urgent needs. The visit which follows such contacts is designed, not just to, confirm urgent needs we can help to alleviate, but also to:

• Learn how to take care of orphans in various settings and circumstances, noting what seems to work well, as well as what does not; 
• Assess the declared objectives of the institution visited;
• Evaluate the results achieved, and the extent to which these results meet the declared objectives;
• Evaluate the extent to which the institution pays attention to accountability for the funds and donations it receives;
• Share with the institution examples of "best practice" learned from visits to other institutions involved in similar activities; and
• Prepare a brief institutional profile of the institution for our databank, which enables us to inform and advise donors, who wish to support orphans, but do not know where they can send their donations with confidence and an assurance that the funds will be used for the intended purposes, and achieve value for money.