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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Change and Continuity: Caring for Children and Young People

Carole Wilkinson - Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 2018

The article is the author’s reflections on a working life in social care that has spanned over 20 years in Scotland, starting with the most recent as Chair of Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.

“It's our children!” Exploring intersectorial collaboration in family centres

Ingunn Skjesol Bulling & Berit Berg - Child & Family Social Work, 2018

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study based on in‐depth interviews and participant observation in 3 Norwegian family centres.

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Recommitting to Child Rights and Child Protection in a Turbulent World

CPC Learning Network, 2018

This brief document from CPC Learning Network underscores the importance of continuing to advocate for child rights and asks the questions: What should that movement look like—and focus on—in the current era? What role do we each want to play?

Design of Family and Child Welfare Policy in Indonesia

Hammad Adnan - ICENIS 2018, 2018

This article describes Indonesia's PKSA/Child Welfare Program, including its successes and drawbacks, and makes recommendations for further implementation.

VOICE Conference 2018 Report

PUSKAPA and the Care and Protection of Children (CPC) Learning Network, 2018

The Viable and Operable Ideas for Children’s Equality (VOICE) International Conference was an event co-hosted by PUSKAPA and the Care and Protection of Children (CPC) Learning Network, with 2018 theme: "Finding Scientific Answer to the 21st Century Challenges for Families, Communities, and Public Policy".

Hacia una Medición de los Sistemas de Protección de la Niñez en America Latina y Caribe: Herramienta de indicadores

Save the Children International, Plan International, World Vision International, UNICEF, Save the Children LAC, 2018

Se ha desarrollado la presente herramienta de indicadores a fines de poder contar con un instrumento de medición y evaluación del nivel de progreso alcanzado en cada país respecto de los sistemas nacionales de protección de la niñez.

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.

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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