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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ICWA Downunder: Exploring the Costs and Benefits of Enacting an Australian Version of the United States' Indian Child Welfare Act

Marcia Zug - Canadian Journal of Family Law, 2020

This article from the Canadian Journal of Family Law finds that an Australian version of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of the United States is feasible and could significantly reduce Indigenous child removals and the break up of Indigenous families and communities in Australia.

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.

2019 UNGA Resolution on Follow-up to the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and beyond

United Nations General Assembly Third Committee, 18 Dec 2019

The 2019 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution on Follow-up to the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and beyond can be found on pages 48-51 of the Report of the Third Committee on Social Development. The Resolution highlights a number of concerns and recommendations regarding children's care

Key Recommendations for the 2019 UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child with a focus on children without parental care

Coalition on Children without Parental Care, 18 Dec 2019

A global coalition of organisations, networks, and agencies working at national, regional and international levels on children's care worked together to propose to Member States a set of Key Recommendations to be included in the 2019 UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child to address key challenges and opportunities in implementing the rights of children without parental care.

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.

“Roll back the years”: A study of grandparent special guardians' experiences and implications for social work policy and practice in England

Helen Hingley‐Jones, Lucille Allain, Helen Gleeson, Bismark Twumasi - Child & Family Social Work, 13 Dec 2019

This paper reports a small qualitative research study where 10 sets of grandparents were interviewed to explore their journey to becoming GSGs and to theorize their subsequent experiences.

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Country Care Review: Portugal

Better Care Network, 09 Dec 2019

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Country Care Review: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Better Care Network , 05 Dec 2019

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Análisis nacional sobre el sistema de protección y cuidado del niño/a en Paraguay - Cumbre de la etapa: Análisis de resultados y diseño de soluciones

Ministerio de la Niñez y Adolescencia y Ministerio de la Defensa Pública con la Corte Suprema de Justicia y el Ministerio Público, 01 Dec 2019

El presente informe de sistematización tiene como propósito hacer accesible la información producida en la Cumbre de la etapa final del análisis transversal del sistema de protección de la niñez, y ser una herramienta de comunicación y planificación al servicio de las instituciones públicas que formaron parte de este proceso.