Evidence from previous infectious disease outbreaks indicate that existing child protection risks are exacerbated, and new ones emerge, as a result of the epidemic as well as of the socioeconomic impacts of prevention and control measures. Some children are at increased risk in these circumstances, especially those without parental/family care, those at risk of separation from family, those in alternative care, and those who have recently left alternative care.
The aim of this Technical Note is to support child protection practitioners and government officials in their immediate response to the child protection concerns faced by children who are at risk of separation or in alternative care during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been developed by an Inter-agency Task Force of practitioners specialized in child protection and care and builds on The Technical Note: Protection of Children during the Coronavirus Pandemic developed by The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and is based on international standards and practice relating to the care and protection of children.
View the accompanying key approaches annex document.
This Technical Note will be updated in light of the fast changing situation. It will be part of a series of tools developed to address more specific aspects of children's care in the context of the pandemic as needs for further guidance or resources are identified.
As you use and disseminate this Technical Note, please share with us any feedback you may have on this document.
Feedback could be related to revision of existing text or information gaps. The purpose of this feedback form is to help the Task Force when updating the technical note or identifying other guidance needed. Please be as specific as possible in your feedback to support integration in the next version.
The technical note is also available in the following languages:
- Arabic
- Bulgarian
- Farsi
- French
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Spanish
- Swahili
The note was also presented in a webinar on 24 April 2020. View the recording and overview presentation below, or click here to view the video and additional presentations.
