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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Strengthening National Responses to Children Affected by HIV/AIDS: What is the Role of the State and Social Welfare in Africa?

Julia Purcell, 2006

Overview of social protection and welfare directions around the world, with recommendations for policies to protect vulnerable children and those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Alternative Care for Children Without Primary Caregivers in Tsunami-Affected Countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand

UNICEF, 2006

An assessment of alternative care responses for children without primary caregivers in tsunami-affected regions of Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Thailand. Includes good practices, recommendations, and detailed country reports.

Evaluation of the Family Support and Foster Care Project and the Prevention of Infant Abandonment and De-institutionalization Project: Georgia

Judita Reichenberg and Anna Nordenmark, 2006

Evaluation of two alternative care programmes in Georgia. Focus on contributions towards the construction of gatekeeping systems for alternative care services. Includes detailed lessons learned and recommendations.

Overview of the Debate on Children Without Parental Care and Possible Models of Care

Annemiek van Voorst, 2006

Detailed examination of debate over institutional and alternative care methods for children without parental care. Includes comprehensive framework for collective action.

Seeking Asylum Alone: Unaccompanied and Separated Children and Refugee Protection in the United States

Jacqueline Bhabha and Susan Schmidt, 2006

The report details the scale and nature of migritaion by children entering the United States. It includes policy analysis and recommendations around the protection of seperated and unaccompanied children.

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A Situational Analysis of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Four Districts of South Africa

Alicia Davis and Donald Skinner (eds.), 2006

Identifies strengths and weaknesses of services offered to OVC in South Africa. A detailed list of recommendations suggests improvements to services.

A Child Protection System in Mongolia

Andy West - International Save the Children Alliance, 2006

Examines barriers to the development of a child protection system in Mongolia. Recommendations stress the need to develop integrated child protection as an essential service comprising a dedicated national agency and appropriate legal frameworks.

Regional capacity building workshop on men, caring and fatherhood: Engaging men as partners in healthier families

Neha Bhandari and Ravi Karkara - Save the Children Sweden, 2006

This report captures the discussions and activities from a workshop held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 17-19 October 2005 on engaging men as caregivers. The report presents a background and rationale, the expectations and objectives of the workshop, and an overview of work being done to engage fathers both in the region as well as globally.

Children In Development

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), 2006

A list of bi-lateral and multilateral funding agencies for child protection. Includes names, email addresses, and particular area of focus.

Legal and Policy Frameworks to Protect the Rights Of Vulnerable Children in Southern Africa

Save the Children UK South Africa Programme, 2006

Reviews legal and policy frameworks for the protection of OVC rights in 10 Southern African countries. Includes key concerns and recommendations. Appendix includes country-specific details of National Policies on Orphans and Vulnerable Children and National Plans of Action.