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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Sierra Leone: Act No. 7 of 2007, The Child Rights Act, 2007

Government of Sierra Leone, 2007

The Child Rights Act of 2007 provides for the promotion of the rights of the child compatible with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20th November, 1989, and its Optional Protocol of 8th September, 2000, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and for other related matters.

Caring for Orphaned, Abandoned and Maltreated Children: Bucharest Early Intervention Project - Powerpoint Presentation

Charles Nelson, Nathan Fox, Charles Zeanah, Dana Johnson, 2007

A powerpoint presentation on the research findings of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project team. Includes comparisons of children raised in institutional care, vs. children placed in foster care, vs. children raised in the community.

Study to Map and Define roles and responsibilities for Civil Society in national HIV/AIDS responses in Eastern and Southern Africa

UNICEF, HACI, WCRP, 2007

This study commissioned by UNICEF, Hope for African Children Initiative (HACI), and World Conference on Religions and Peace (WCRP) maps and defines roles and responsibilities for Civil Society in the expanded national HIV/AIDS responses. The report pays particular attention to the protection, care and support of orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Capacity Building Strategy 2006-2008: Outline of the Approach and Process to be Used in the Capacity Building of the MGLSD, Districts and CSOs

Uganda Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 2007

This document sets out the strategy to build and strengthen capacity to provide leadership, coordination and operational oversight at the central, regional, and district levels under the CORE Initiatives Uganda to prevent OVC and HIV among youth.

SAARC Regional Strategic Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, 2007

A regional strategic framework for coordinating policies to protect, care and support children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Asia.

Quality4Children: Standards for Out-of-Home Care in Europe

IFCO, SOS Kinderdorf International, FICE, 2007

A set of standards on the process of a child or young person entering care, being cared for, and leaving care, based primarily on the views of children, families, and caregivers.

Advocacy Strategy for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children 2007 - 2010

Uganda Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 2007

An advocacy strategy to increase support for orphans and OVC in Uganda.

Expanding the Social Security Net in South Africa: Opportunities, Challenges, and Constraints

Kalie Pauw and Liberty Mncube, 2007

Examines constraints to expansion of the social welfare net in South Africa. Cites substitution taking place within the social budget since education and health expenditures have already declined in favour of increased welfare transfer expenditures.

Chile Solidario: Toward an Integrated Approach to the Delivery of Social Protection

Helen Schulte, 2007

Examination of Chile Solidario social protection programme which shows that the focus of policy makers and researchers should be on integration of cash transfers within broader social protection policies.

Policy Framework for Children and AIDS, India

UNICEF, 2007

This Policy Framework seeks to broaden the focus to address the needs of the overwhelming majority of children in India affected by HIV/AIDS by covering a broader agenda, spanning both the medical and socioeconomic dimensions of the epidemic as it affects children.