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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Quality of Life of Sri Lankan Children: Participatory Action Research to Address the Governance Issues of Voluntary Children’s Homes

Eshantha Ariyadasa & Janet Mcintyre - Systemic Practice and Action Research, 01 Oct 2015

This paper addresses the issue of human rights of vulnerable children in Sri Lanka in the wake of the civil war, global climatic change and economic recession.

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Country Care Review: Mauritius

Better Care Network, 30 Sep 2015

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

From the Perspective of UNCRC: Changes in Policies and Care Provisions in Eastern Europe in the Last 25 Years

Dr (habil) Maria Herczog, President of Eurochild, Former member of the UNCRC Committee, 28 Sep 2015

This presentation was given at the ISPCAN Conference in Bucharest, Romania in September 2015. The presentation reviews similarities and differences in national care reform efforts in the Eastern Europe region, highlights the main care-related issues in the region 25 years ago, describes the reforms and improvements made in the region as well as the challenges and responses to reforms, and provides recommendations for the way forward.

Child Welfare in the 21st Century: The Need for a Pre-and Post-Permanence Service Continuum

QIC-AG, 22 Sep 2015

The presentation slides outline the webinar entitled Child Welfare in the 21^st Century: The Need for a Pre-and Post-Permanence Service Continuum, which discusses the direction of child welfare in the 21^st Century.

Protecting Children from Violence: A Comprehensive Evaluation of UNICEF’s Strategies and Programme Performance

UNICEF Evaluation Office, 01 Aug 2015

This report on Protecting Children from Violence: A Comprehensive Evaluation of UNICEF’s Strategies and Programme Performance was prepared by independent consultants to evaluate UNICEF's work on violence against children (VAC).

Survey on the Situation of Siblings in the Child Care System in Romania

Alexandru Toth, Asociația Sociometrics – Grupul de Analiză Socială și Economică, 01 Aug 2015

This report provides data and background on challenges of placing siblings together in foster families.

Child Protection System Reform in the Hellenic Republic Call to Action

Opening Doors for Europe’s Children, 01 Jul 2015

This paper presents a policy position which argues that, “as the Greek authorities map out the road to long-term recovery, several key steps to reform the child protection and care system should be taken as a matter of priority.”

Housing Options and Care Leavers: Improving Outcomes into Adulthood

Kenny McGhee - CELCIS Inform, 01 Jul 2015

This Inform briefing provides an overview of information, policy and legislation and outlines the importance of good housing and accommodation options that improve outcomes for care leavers.

Webinar Recording: Measuring the Strength of Child Protection Systems in Humanitarian Settings: A Study in Uganda and Rwanda

CPC Learning Network, 29 Jun 2015

On June 29, 2015, the CPC Learning Network hosted a webinar focused on the experience of developing, piloting and refining a child protection index.

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The Council of Europe action in favour of children’s rights: Helping professionals working with children make the best use of available standards

Regína Jensdóttir, Council of Europe - Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, 19 Jun 2015

This article describes the current strategies of the “Building a Europe for and with Children” programme, a programme of the Council of Europe. The strategy focuses on four areas of action: promoting child-friendly services and systems; eliminating all forms of violence against children; guaranteeing the rights of children in vulnerable situations, and promoting child participation. A further standard is available on children’s rights and social services friendly to children and families for ensuring that children lacking or placed outside parental care are given adequate treatment.