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.

Displaying 201 - 210 of 1735

Browse Other Topics

Uganda National Child Policy 2020

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development - Government of Uganda, 2020

This National Child Policy of Uganda has been developed to coordinate the efforts of the different sectors that have a direct and indirect mandate on children and deliver a comprehensive package of services encompassing all the four cardinal rights of the child (to survival, development, protection and participation) in a multi-sectoral approach.

Joint inspections of services for children and young people in need of care and protection: Review of findings from the inspection programme 2018-2020

Care Inspectorate, 2020

This report is a review of the findings of joint inspections of the delivery of services to children and young people in need of care and protection by community planning partnerships in eight areas across Scotland, undertaken 2018 – 2020.

The Current Landscape of Child Protection Services in South Africa: A Systematic Review

Marianne Strydom, Ulene Schiller, Julie Orme - Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 2020

The aim of this article is to determine the current landscape of child protection service delivery and research within the South African context.

Family Law and Policy for LGBTQ Individuals and Families: Adoption, Foster Care, Assisted Reproduction, and Parental Rights

Naomi G. Goldberg and Amira Hasenbush - Politics, Oxford University Press, 2020

This article argues that the patchwork of legal protections across U.S. states means that many LGBTQ-headed families lack needed security, stability, and legal recognition.

View Article

Alternative report on Ukraine's compliance with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for the period from 2011 to 2020

Ukrainian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 2020

The Alternative Report (AR) on the implementation by Ukraine of the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the result of the joint work of public sector experts in the field of the protection of the rights of the child.

User-Friendly Version of the 2019 UN Resolution on the Rights of the Child Focusing on Children without Parental Care

SOS Children’s Villages International, 2020

This document summarizes the 2019 UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child focusing on children without parental care (A/RES/74/133) in an easy-to-follow way.

Uganda National Child Policy 2020

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development - Government of Uganda, 2020

This National Child Policy has been developed to coordinate the efforts of the different sectors that have a direct and indirect mandate on children and deliver a comprehensive package of services encompassing all the four cardinal rights of the child in a multi-sectoral approach.

2019 UNGA Resolution on the Girl Child

United Nations General Assembly Third Committee, 18 Dec 2019

The 2019 Resolution on the Girl Child can be found on pages 7-21 of the Third Committee Report on the Promotion and protection of the rights of children. The Resolution highlights several concerns and recommendations related to children's care.

2019 UNGA Resolution on Policies and Programmes Involving Youth

United Nations General Assembly Third Committee, 18 Dec 2019

The 2019 United National General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution on Policies and Programmes Involving Youth can be found on pages 19-27 of the Report of the Third Committee on Social Development. The Resolution highlights a number of concerns and recommendations regarding children's care.

2019 UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child

United Nations General Assembly Third Committee, 18 Dec 2019

The 2019 Resolution on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 2019. The Resolution focuses specifically on children without parental care.