Child Care and Protection System Reforms

Social welfare sector reform is increasingly common, particularly in transitional countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Increasing attention has been paid to the development of preventive community based child and family welfare programs that would, in coordination with health and education programs and social assistance, provide a range of support for vulnerable families.

Recognition of the damaging effects of institutional care on children and its high cost has influenced governments to redirect resources towards alternative family and community-based care practices such as kinship care, fostering, and adoption. Redirecting resources in the context of social welfare reforms requires a commitment from governments to provide adequate financing for effective policy implementation.

Funding availability raises a variety of issues regarding the level and type of support to be provided, the private or public management of services, and the entitlement process. Social welfare should protect the rights of children and their caretakers via fair and clear criteria of support provisions, with transparent procedures for the effective allocation of services.

Social welfare reforms to protect and support children and families need to be built on legal protections and child care policies which reflect the same child centred goals. Alternative forms of community based care, combined with social reintegration programmes and family support services, must be developed to reduce the use of institutions and enable children leaving institutions to rejoin their communities.

The resources in this section focus on country initiatives in reforming their social welfare sector to finance community based care developments.

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Policy and Analysis Tools for the Manual for the Measurement of Indicators for Children in Formal Care

Better Care Network and UNICEF Headquarters, 01 Sep 2009

Policy/analysis tools for manual to assist countries in strengthening their information system around children in formal care through data collection around 15 global indicators

UNICEF Assessment of the Child Welfare Reform Process In Georgia

Clare O'Brien and Tata Chanturidze , 01 Jul 2009

This report assesses progress in the reform of child welfare services in Georgia between 1999 and 2009.

Executive Summary of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Report, Ireland

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 21 May 2009

Keys findings from the full investigation into state-run children's institutions in Ireland from the 1930s - 1990s

Analysis of the Progress and Remaining Challenges in Child Care System Reform: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan

UNICEF, Natalia Lyalina and Anna Nordenmark Severinsson, 21 May 2009

Developed by the UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe/Commonwealth of Independent States as a discussion paper for the 2nd Child Protection Forum on Building and Reforming Child Care Systems

Assessment of USAID Child Welfare Programs in Russia

Terra P Group , 13 May 2009

The child welfare programs, funded by USAID in Russia, were designed to pilot, disseminate, and help institutionalize modern child welfare services, particularly, child abandonment prevention and professional support of vulnerable children, child welfare institutions, and substitute families. This report reviews program results and sets out recommendations for future program design.

Forced Removal of Romani Children from the Care of their Families

European Roma Rights Center, 08 May 2009

Explores particular vulnerabilities that arise for Roma children and families in regards to care as a result of social marginalization

The Job that Remains: An Overview of USAID Child Welfare Reform Efforts in Europe and Eurasia

USAID, 01 May 2009

Examined the eight countries in which USAID supported significant child welfare reform programs: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. The paper discusses population issues, the current system of child welfare, USAID-funded activities, lessons learned, and best practices.

Improving Gatekeeping Functions of Child Protection Systems Background Paper

Peter Evans, 01 May 2009

This background paper draws attention to the child protection reforms to be made to gatekeeping access to services. The paper draws attention to critical linkages to relevant legal, policy and procedural reforms and the reform of services to support children and families.