Social protection is increasingly being used in Eastern and Southern Africa to address economic and social vulnerability. Many governments in the region are also engaged in care reform to prevent family separation, support families to care for children well and provide quality alternative care. The same frontline workers are also often engaged in these two streams of work. This paper provides an outline of the key concepts and processes involved in social protection system strengthening and care reform and makes an argument for encouraging greater synergies between these two systems.