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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Schools that care: A review of linkages between children’s education and care

Camilla Jones – Family for Every Child, 2016

This report presents the key findings of a scoping study on the links between education and children’s care. The study involved a literature review in English, French and Spanish; key informant interviews; and consultations with 170 children, carers, teachers and other stakeholders in Guyana, India, Russia and Rwanda.

Strengths-based community action as a source of resilience for children affected by armed conflict

Michael Wessells, 2016

Mental health issues in war-affected children include depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and neurological problems, among others.

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The Children’s Act 2011: DRAFT Regulations on the Care and Protection of Children

Department of Social Welfare - Zanzibar, 2016

These DRAFT Regulations on the Care and Protection of Children of the Children’s Act of Zanzibar offer a definition of a child in need of protection and outline the general duties of the Department of Social Welfare in regards to providing that protection.

EAC Child Policy (2016)

East African Community, 2016

The EAC Child Policy is the culmination of various processes geared towards the harmonisation of standards on and approaches to the implementation of child rights in the EAC.

Child Protection and Residential Care in Greece: An Illuminative Case Study

Iro Mylonakou-Keke, Stefanos Alevizos, Pavlos Salichos, Fotine Konstantopoulou and Chara Grosdani - Global Perspectives, 2016

This chapter from Global Perspectives is a discussion of child protection, care, welfare, and residential care in Greece. This chapter covers a brief historical overview of the child protection and care situation in Greece, as well as a discussion of care and protection of children in contemporary Greece. There is a case study included of “The Smile of the Child” foundation.

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Foster Family Welfare in Poland: New Forms of Open Inclusive Care in Educational Aspect

Agnieszka Roguska, 2016

This article presents an overview of the Polish system of foster welfare, its regulations by law and directions for further transformation.

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Court-Appointed Special Advocates in the Rural South: A Fidelity Assessment

Shanna N. Felix - Georgia Southern University Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies, 2016

This thesis study evaluates the fidelity of a rural Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program in Georgia, USA. The CASA program trains volunteers to serve as special legal representation for children in the court system who have been abused or neglected.

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The Children Act Amendment 2016: Key Objectives, the Journey, Key Amendments, Next Steps

Uganda's National Council for Children, Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children (UPFC), and Private Sector Foundation Uganda, 2016

This bulletin highlights the key objectives and key amendments of Uganda's Children Act Amendment of 2016. It also outlines the process by which the Bill was developed and approved and lays out next steps for implementing the Act and ensuring the rights of children in Uganda.

Government of India Press Release: Series of New Initiatives for Development of Women and Children Mark the Achievements of WCD Ministry this Year

Government of India, Ministry of Women and Child Development, 28 Dec 2015

A press release from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India recapped a series of new initiatives by the Ministry during 2015. The achievements relevant to children’s care are briefly described below and include the launch of the flagship programme Beti Bachao Beto Padhao for protection of the girl child; several initiatives to track, restore, and rehabilitate missing children; and adoption reforms and a new foster care system.

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For the Benefit of Children Alone? A Discourse Analysis of Policymaking Relating to Children's Institutions in Indonesia, 1999-2009

Brian Babington, 16 Dec 2015

This thesis by Brian Babington, submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University, uses a discourse analysis methodology to shed light on deinstitutionalisation policymaking in Indonesia. In examining the factors that led Indonesia to adopt a policy to reduce reliance on the panti asuhan type of children's institution, the dissertation reveals that Indonesia appears to have adopted this policy change not primarily as a result of concern for children's rights, but rather because of political, economic, cultural, and religious factors. It also explores how the policy shift attempted to appease both pro-reform and pro-panti asuhan groups.