Child Care and Protection Policies

Child care and protection policies regulate the care of children, including the type of support and assistance to be offered, good practice guidelines for the implementation of services, standards for care, and adequate provisions for implementation. They relate to the care a child receives at and away from home.

States and all organisations with child care programmes should have child care policies which are in line with national legislation and international law, e.g. the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). In line with the CRC, emphasis should be placed on the child’s best interests, with support to families prioritised in order to prevent family separation. Good gatekeeping mechanisms are essential in ensuring families receive the services they need and are entitled to, and to guard against inappropriate placement into poor care arrangements.

Home-based care, day care, and other family support services are mechanisms for assisting families in providing for the child’s development and, when used appropriately, can prevent child separation. When a child is unable to remain at home, alternative forms of community based care should be prioritised, such as formal kinship care or foster care. The use of institutions should be highlighted as a last and temporary measure. All support and care provisions should outline the referral and admission process, the use of care plans, regular reviews, rehabilitation, and aftercare procedures.

Child protection legislation which recognises that abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect, and may be carried out by parents, caretakers, children and other adults is required. All agencies working with children should have written child protection policies which respect the rights of the child. Policies should outline behaviours and actions which are unacceptable, provide standards for the appropriate care of children, and clear guidelines on what procedures to follow and by whom, including reporting mechanisms for suspected abuse to an assigned authority for investigation.

Child care and protection policies require resources and monitoring of standards to ensure their appropriate implementation. Adequate provision and training of child care and social work staff is required to deliver family support services and alternatives forms of child care. All staff working with children should be trained and supervised in providing appropriate care for children, identifying abuse, and responding appropriately.

The literature in this section contains country reports and examples of national and organisational child care and protection policies.

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What Works in Tackling Child Abuse and Neglect? A Manual for Policy Makers, Managers, and Professionals

Tinje Berge-Le Clercg, Mariska de Batt from the Netherlands Youth Institute, 2013

This manual is the main outcome of the European Commission Daphne III programme, Prevent and Combat Child Abuse: What works? Involving regional exchanges and research from five countries (Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands), this manual brings together knowledge on what works in tackling child abuse. The manual suggests evidence and practice-based prevention and response strategies against child abuse and neglect, including programs and services that have been shown to be successful in strengthening family care.

Child Protection Australia 2011-12

Australian Government - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013

This document is the 16th annual report on child protection in Australia. The report includes detailed statistical information on child protection services provided on the state and territory level as well as demographic and background information on the children receiving services.

Towards a Family for Every Child: A conceptual framework

Family for Every Child, 2013

This document provides a conceptual framework for Family for Every Child, a global network of national civil society organisations working to mobilise knowledge, skills and resources to build a world where every child grows up in a permanent, safe and caring family, and to provide quality alternative care where needed.

Unit Costs of Health and Social Care 2013

Lesley Curtis- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, 2013

This report is a compilation of health and social care costs in the UK for the year 2013, including an article and corresponding information on the costs of residential care for children.

A Snapshot of Alternative Care Arrangements in Kenya

SOS Children’s Villages International, 2013

This report presents findings from an assessment of Kenya's implementation of the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children.

County Child Protection Systems Guidelines

National Council for Children's Services , 2013

The Child Protection System Guidelines were developed to address the fragmented response to child protection in Kenya and guide actors at the county level to deliver more coordinated and professional services for children and their families.

Child protection in Italy and Spain: Influence of the family supported society

Jorge F. del Valle, Cinzia Canali, Amaia Bravo, Tiziano Vecchiato, 2013

The article reviews the historical development of out-of-home care in Italy and Spain and compares foster family and residential care, as well as the main research contributions to these topics in both countries.

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LEGE Nr. 140: privind protecţia specială a copiilor aflaţi în situaţie de risc şi a copiilor separaţi de părinţi

Republic of Moldova, 2013

This document present the law on the special protection of children in need at risk and children separated from their parents for Moldova.

Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit

Child Welfare Collaborative Group, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and the California Social Work Education Center, 2013

The USA-based National Child Traumatic Stress Network has recently released a second edition of the Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit, which is part of the Child Welfare Trauma Training course. The course assists those in the field of child welfare who wish to learn more about child welfare and trauma.

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World Family Map: Mapping Family Change and Child Well-Being Outcomes

Child Trends , 2013

The World Family Map Project is a new initiative by Child Trends to monitor the health of family life around the globe and to learn more about how family trends affect the well-being of children. Using internationally comparative data for low-, middle-, and high-income countries on key characteristics of families, including family structure, family socioeconomics, family processes, and family culture, the Map looks at trends in 45 countries, representing every region of the world.