This toolset was developed in response to requests from local partners working with government leaders to strengthen national systems and legal frameworks for children’s protection and wellbeing. These partners identified the need for a concise, high-level toolset to support critical conversations with key decision-makers on building a “Family-First” system for all children.
Globally, there is a wealth of information, documentation, and roadmaps related to children’s rights, child protection system strengthening, and care reform—including the transition from institutional to family-based care. These resources are comprehensive and therefore extensive.
To facilitate effective dialogue with national decision-makers and policymakers, partners required tools that could synthesize key documents and binding international legal instruments, clearly communicating the overarching principles and priorities. The tools needed to help leaders quickly grasp complex issues, make informed decisions, and access more detailed guidance as needed.
The result is an accessible toolset, presented in a format that communicates the needs, rationale, standards, goals, components, and desired outcomes of a family-first national system for all children. It is designed for use in strategic conversations with policymakers and system stakeholders, bridging comprehensive expert guidance and international law into actionable materials that promote children’s well-being, safety, and permanency.
Countries define and organize systems for children’s well-being and protection in different ways. This framework serves as an adaptable toolset grounded in the foundational principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The framework includes tools that can be used to assess the current state of a national system, identify gaps, and strengthen the design and action plan for a child protection system that prioritizes supporting children in safe and nurturing families.
