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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Measuring Impact Through A Child Protection Index: Time 1 & Time 2 Studies Kiryandongo and Adjumani refugee settlements, Uganda

Sarah Meyer, Sabrina Hermosilla, Lindsay Stark - UNHCR, the CPC Learning Network, and TPO Uganda, 2018

This report describes the research conducted in 2016 in Kiryandongo and Adjumani refugee settlements in Uganda, presenting a comparison of child protection system strength between 2014/5 and 2016, and child protection outcomes over the same time period.

Assessing the Quality and Comprehensiveness of Child Protection Practice Frameworks: A Report to the Australian Children's Commissioners and Guardians

Samantha Finan, Leah Bromfield, Fiona Arney and Tim Moore - Australian Centre for Child Protection, 2018

This report, developed by the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP) in consulation with an Expert Panel, provides an analysis and evaluation of a range of child protection practice frameworks in terms of the way they respond to the values and principles and approach to working with children and families applicable to the continuum of child protection practice.

Prepare for Leaving Care – A Child Protection System that Works for Professionals and Young People

SOS Children’s Villages, CELCIS, EuroChild, 2018

‘Prepare for Leaving Care – A Child Protection System that Works for Professionals and Young People’, a two-year project co-funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) Programme of the European Union (2017-2018), aims to ensure that the rights of young people in alternative care are respected and that they are prepared for an independent life.

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Annual Social Report 2018 (Moldova)

Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova, 2018

The 2018 Annual Social Report presents an analysis of the general characteristics of the policies of the health, labor and social protection system as a whole.

Child Abuse Research in South Africa - A model for emergency child protection intervention

Jacqueline Hope and Carlien van Wyk - Child Abuse Research in South Africa, 2018

This study aims to develop a model for practice for implementing emergency child protection interventions with children at risk.

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User Guide on Foster Care

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) & Centre of Excellence in Alternative Care (India), 2018

This User Guide aims to provide a comprehensive approach to the development of a good quality foster care service in India, which will be useful for a range of practitioners.

Rapporte de l'Étude de Base: Projet de Protection des Enfants Migrants le Long du Corridor AbidjanLagos (CORAL)

Dr Neil Howard, Dr Mélanie Jacquemin, Dr Dorte Thorsen - Terre des hommes- Lausanne, du MAEJT et de ENDA , 2018

Le présent document constitue le rapport de référence pour le Projet pour la Protection des Enfants Migrants le long du Corridor Abidjan-Lagos (CORAL), conçu principalement en tant qu'analyse de situation susceptible d'orienter la programmation future du projet.

New Directions in Children’s Welfare

Sharon Pinkney, 2018

This book makes a distinctive contribution to reflections on what child-centred practice means in the complex area of child welfare.

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The Long View: Has Anything Really Improved for Children and Families Involved with Child Welfare over 3 Decades?

Moira Szilagyi - Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk, 2018

This paper reflects on: what’s better or not after 30 years; whether legislation and financing are aligned with child welfare’s goals of safety, permanency and well-being; and what remains to be done to improve the outcomes of children and youth in foster care or otherwise involved with child welfare.

Situation Analysis of Children in Rwanda

UNICEF Rwanda, 2018

This situation analysis provides a timely assessment of progress for children, achievements to date, and remaining challenges and barriers to the realization of children’s rights in Rwanda.