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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Romania: Children in Public Care 2014

Manuela Sofia Stănculescu (main author), Vlad Grigoraș, Monica Marin, Cătălina Iamandi-Cioinaru, Emil Teșliuc, Georgiana Blaj (Neculau), Bogdan Corad, VoichiŃa Pop, Andreea Trocea - The World Bank and UNICEF, 2017

This book presents the results of this research on more than 52,000 children placed in public care in Romania (in special protection) who receive family or residential-type protection services as well as on the children at risk of separation from their families from the source communities.

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Our way: a generational strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families 2017–2037

Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services - Government of Queensland, 2017

Our Way outlines a framework for transformational change that will occur over the next 20 years, representing a long-term commitment by government and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to work together to improve the life outcomes of vulnerable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

State of Children in Nepal 2017

Government of Nepal Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Central Child Welfare Board, 2017

This report from the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Central Child Welfare Board reviews the state of children and child rights in Nepal in 2017.

National Case Management System for the Welfare and Protection of Children in Zimbabwe

Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Zimbabwe, 2017

The purpose of this document is to provide a framework for implementation of the National Case Management System (NCMS) for the care, protection and welfare of children in Zimbabwe.

Tackling Child Neglect in Scotland :Follow-up survey 2016

Jane Scott and Brigid Daniel, Centre for Child Wellbeing and Protection, University of Stirling, 2017

A 2016 survey was commissioned by the Scottish Government to inform the Child Protection Improvement Programme and the Neglect Improvement Pilot. This report presents the findings and analysis from the survey, including achievements and challenges in providing child protection services.

Ending legalised violence against children: Global progress to December 2016

Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children and Save the Children, 30 Dec 2016

This comprehensive report discusses progress made towards universal prohibition of corporal punishment of children, including by highlighting examples from individual states that have recently implemented legal and policy reforms.

The African Report on Child Wellbeing 2016

The African Child Policy Forum, 19 Dec 2016

This report builds on the previous editions and findings of various studies undertaken by ACPF and other child-focused organizations which consistently show that there is insufficient progress on implementation of laws and polices pertaining to children.

Technical Advisory Paper: Towards the National Children Policy Uganda

Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, Uganda, 01 Dec 2016

This technical advisory paper is prepared for the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to guide the scope of the National Children Policy expected to replace the existing National Policy on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Uganda which has been in existence for past 12 years.

Reflections on the non-accidental death of a foster carer

Kirstie Maclean - Adoption & Fostering, 24 Nov 2016

This article is a case study and analysis of the death of a foster carer in Scotland at the hands of the child for whom she was caring.

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Africa's Agenda for Children 2040: Fostering an Africa Fit for Children

African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, 09 Nov 2016

The Africa’s Agenda for Children, to be adopted by the Committee, presents measurable goals and priority areas to which the African Union and its Member States commit themselves for the coming 25 years.