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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What is Really Wrong with Serious Case Reviews?

Michael Preston-Shoot - Child Abuse Review, 20 Jul 2017

Concern about the effectiveness of Serious Case Reviews for generating improvements in child protection in England led to proposals in the Wood review to replace the current system with rapid local learning inquiries and a national system of learning from significant incidents. This article challenges both the analysis in the Wood review and the proposals themselves.

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The fostering system in England: Evidence review

Mary Baginsky, Sarah Gorin and Claire Sands - Quest Research and Evaluation Ltd, England Department for Education (Publisher), 17 Jul 2017

Commissioned by England's Department for Education, this review of the fostering system in England provides a look into the details of the foster care system, how it functions and how children in care are impacted by it, and identifies gaps and areas for improvement.

Country Care Review: Romania

Better Care Network , 13 Jul 2017

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child during the seventy-fifth session (15 May 2017 - 02 Jun 2017) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Country Care Review: Mongolia

Better Care Network, 12 Jul 2017

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child during the seventy-fifth session (15 May 2017 - 2 Jun 2017) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Bani Walid municipality commits to address the involvement of children in the armed groups

United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), 11 Jul 2017

The local council of Bani Walid, Libya has committed to release, rehabilitate and reintegrate children associated with armed groups.

The Way Forward to Strengthened Policies and Practices for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Europe

International Rescue Committee, UNHCR, UNICEF, 10 Jul 2017

This paper, based on findings from a consultative process with a variety of actors, captures a multitude of concrete recommendations for more efficient and harmonized policies and practices, taking into account the best interests of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in Europe.

Inequalities in English Child Protection Practice under Austerity: A Universal Challenge?

Paul Bywaters, Geraldine Brady, Lisa Bunting, Brigid Daniel, Brigid Featherstone, Chantel Jones, Kate Morris, Jonathan Scourfield, Tim Sparks, Calum Webb - Child and Family Social Work, 07 Jul 2017

This article focuses on the relationship between economic inequality and out-of-home care and child protection interventions in England.

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Country Care Review: Cameroon

Better Care Network, 06 Jul 2017

Country Care Review: Bhutan

Better Care Network , 05 Jul 2017

Looking after children in the UK – convergence or divergence?

Janice McGhee, Paul Bywaters, Lisa Bunting, Claire McCartan, Martin Elliott, and Brid Featherstone - British Journal of Social Work , 03 Jul 2017

This paper analyses comparative child welfare administrative data from each of the four jurisdictions of the UK over a ten-year period to examine rates and patterns of public care for children.

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