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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South African Child Gauge 2017

Lucy Jamieson, Lizette Berry & Lori Lake - Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town, 2017

The South African Child Gauge® is published annually by the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town, to monitor progress towards realising children’s rights. This issue focuses on children and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children

Department of Children and Youth Affairs - Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, 2017

This revised version of Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children describes the four main types of abuse and sets out the steps which should be taken to ensure that the child or young person is protected from harm.

Action Plan for improving child care with the target of safely returning 30 per cent of children in residential care to their families 2016-2018

Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation - Kingdom of Cambodia, 2017

This Action Plan for improving child care, with the target of safely returning 30 per cent of children in residential care to their families 2016 - 2018, was developed to support the implementation of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) Work Platform 2014–2018 and the Sub-Decree 119 on the Management of Residential Care Institutions, which was endorsed on 11 September 2015.

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.

Country Care Review: Suriname

Better Care Network, 09 Nov 2016

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

Country Care Review: Bolivia

Better Care Network, 04 Nov 2016

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities during the sixteenth session (15 Aug 2016 – 2 Sep 2016) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.