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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Expected struggles: U.S. child care policy

Elizabeth Palley - Children and Youth Services Review, 20 Dec 2011

This article is based on interviews with 19 child care policy experts including policy advocates, researchers, and funders.

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Law No 54/2011 of 14/12/2011 Relating to the Rights and the Protection of the Child

Government of Rwanda, 14 Dec 2011

This Law is relating to the rights and the protection of the child in Rwanda.

The Mental Health of Young People Aging Out of Care and Entering Adulthood: Exploring the Evidence from England and France

Mike Steina, Annick-Camille Dumaretb - Children and Youth Services Review Volume 33, Issue 12 - Young People's Transitions from Care to Adulthood, 01 Dec 2011

This paper explores the research evidence from England and France on the mental health of young people aging out of care and into adulthood.

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Procedures When Young People Leave Care – Views from 111 Swedish Social Service Managers

Ingrid Höjera, Yvonne Sjöblomb - Children and Youth Services Review Volume 33, Issue 12 - Young People's Transitions from Care to Adulthood, 01 Dec 2011

Few local authorities had elaborated programmes or routines for care leaving. Many small municipalities had few young people in care, which made it difficult to organise elaborated programmes for care leaving. Manager’s expected a rapid and linear transition to adulthood. Little awareness of the yo-yo transition pattern common for other young people. Managers were worried that continued contact with social services would lead to young people being dependant on support. Only 6% of managers had any information of young people’s whereabouts, once they had left care.

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The Experiences of Jordanian Care Leavers Making the Transition from Residential Care to Adulthood: The Influence of a Patriarchal and Collectivist Culture

Rawan W. Ibrahima, David Howeb - Children and Youth Services Review Volume 33, Issue 12 - Young People's Transitions from Care to Adulthood, 01 Dec 2011

The study explores the post-care experiences of young Jordanian care leavers. Material struggles were similar to peers internationally. The distinct difference for Arab care leavers was the cultural influence. Patriarchy, family life and collectivism impact the care leavers' experiences. A cultural dimension increases understanding of leaving-care.

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The contribution of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to understanding and promoting the interests of young people making the transition from care to adulthood

Emily R. Munro, John Pinkerton, Philip Mendes, Georgia Hyde-Dryden, Maria Herczog, Rami Benbenishty - Children and Youth Services Review, 01 Dec 2011

This paper explores how the UNCRC reporting process, and guidelines from the Committee outlining how States should promote the rights of young people making the transition from care to adulthood, can be used as an instrument to track global patterns of change in policy and practice.

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School Performance in Primary School and Psychosocial Problems in Young Adulthood Among Care Leavers from Long Term Foster Care

Marie Berlina, Bo Vinnerljunga, Anders Hjernd - Children and Youth Services Review Volume 33, Issue 12 - Young People's Transitions from Care to Adulthood, 01 Dec 2011

This article, from the Children and Youth Services Review special issue on ‘Young People's Transitions from Care to Adulthood’ examines the school performance and psychosocial wellbeing of care leavers in Sweden.

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Receipt of Help Acquiring Life Skills and Predictors of Help Receipt Among Current and Former Foster Youth

Mark E. Courtneya, JoAnn Leeb, Alfred Pereza - Children and Youth Services Review, 01 Dec 2011

Foster youth in the US do not appear to be receiving many forms of help that are called for in federal law. Over one-third did not receive help they would have liked to have received. System factors play a stronger role than individual indicators of need in help receipt. Independent living services should be more widely available and better targeted.

Receipt of help acquiring life skills and predictors of help receipt among current and former foster youth - ScienceDirect

L’UNICEF appelle le Burundi à accélérer ses efforts en faveur de la protection des enfants

UNICEF, 27 Nov 2011

Cet article fournit un aperçu utile des initiatives du Burundi dans le domaine de la protection des enfants, y compris le travail pour élaborer des normes minimales pour les établissements de garde d'enfants et de soutenir les enfants vivant dans

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The Framework for The National Child Protection System for Kenya

National Council for Children's Services , 01 Nov 2011

This document contains the national framework for the child protection system in Kenya, developed with the intention of improving linkages between different sectors for more a more coordinated approach to protecting children.