Governments and civil society should plan strong support to families and communities to prioritize keeping children safe in family environments. The response to COVID-19 is an opportunity to help families and communities identify and build on strengths. Actions and activities should be strengths-based. Protecting the rights of children in alternative care or at-risk of separation, in the context of an emergency, requires collaboration across a range of sectors and government ministries and departments. Intersectoral collaboration and coordination is paramount for this.
This accompanying annex document to the Inter-agency Technical Note on the Protection of Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Children and Alternative Care provides helpful tips to promote the engagement and participation of all stakeholders, which is central to maintaining continuity of services for children. The care sector comprises of a wide array of stakeholders, including children, youth, families, governments, the civil society, donors, and others. It addresses the following:
- Engaging children, families, guardians and communities, including faith leaders
- Working across sectors and with governments
- Engaging with donors
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