Non-Formal Mechanisms for Children's Care and Protection

In many countries children without adequate family care are supported within non-formal care arrangements. This typically involves the care of a child by a relative (kinship care), or someone close to the family (informal foster care), without any legal proceedings or regulation by the State. In some cases, children may also live on their own without adult carers within a child-headed household.

Informal care arrangements often build on traditional, cultural practices or religious practices and can provide a safe and caring environment for children close to their families and communities. Some arrangements however, may put children at risk of inadequate care, abuse or exploitation – particularly when caregivers are unrelated (or only distantly related), children are moved far away from their communities, or when a child heads the household. In kinship or informal foster care arrangements children may be treated differently than their caretakers’ own children, denied access to education and health and unfairly burdened with household labour.

Moves to formalize traditional alternative care arrangements have met with debate. While there is a need to monitor children’s care situations to prevent their discrimination and mistreatment - as well as to help caregivers to access support services - there are concerns that placing formal requirements on traditional caretaking practices (such as registration with the authorities) might disrupt or even curtail them.

In many countries efforts are underway to strengthen community-based and traditional practices for protecting vulnerable children. This includes supporting child protection committees and community based structures such as faith based groups, volunteer associations, traditional and religious leaders, and neighbourhood committees, to play an increased role in monitoring and supporting informal care arrangements. This can range from conducting home visits, counselling caregivers or children, encouraging children to attend school, providing life skills instruction and linking children to social assistance (cash transfers, feeding schemes, legal services). Awareness raising efforts can also help to educate communities about children’s rights and reduce discrimination against children in alternative care.

The resources in this section outline non-formal and traditional practices for caring and protecting children without adequate family care, which typically operate outside of the formal care and protection systems at the community level.

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Introduction: Kinship Care Policy and Practice: (First Issue)

Mark F. Testa - Child Welfare Journal, 01 May 2017

The purpose of this introduction of the Special Issue on Kinship Care of the Child Welfare Journal is to offer a conceptual framework for addressing the challenges involved in developing a coherent set of policies and practices with respect to kinship care in the US.

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Using Family Group Decision Making to Assist Informal Kinship Families

Leonard H. Feldman - Child Welfare Journal, 01 May 2017

This paper from the Special Issue on Kinship Care of the Child Welfare Journal discusses a three-phased service model assessed using Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) conferences with informal kinship caregivers and their families.

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Case Study on Child Protection within OVC Programs: The Role of Para-Social Workers in Creating Community-Led Approaches to Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse

Suzanne Andrews - Catholic Relief Services, 01 Mar 2017

The following case study outlines the process undertaken by officials, para-social workers (PSWs) and community leaders in several sub-counties in Kasese District in Western Uganda to a) identify and address instances of child abuse in their communities, b) track cases of abuse and encourage reporting by victims, and c) support a para-social workforce in the communities to act as a deterrent and reduce the incidence of abuse.

Isibindi's Family Strengthening Approach

Isibindi Project - National Association of Child Care Workers, 2017

This brief summarises key findings of a qualitative study of the family strengthening approach of the Isibindi model.

Alternative Child Care and Deinstitutionalisation in Sub Saharan Africa

Dr Ian Milligan, Mr Richard Withington, Dr Graham Connelly, Dr Chrissie Gale - European Union, CELCIS, SOS Children's Villages, 01 Nov 2016

This desk review provides a brief mapping and summary of existing knowledge on alternative care and deinstitutionalisation in Africa.

Alternative Child Care and Deinstitutionalisation: A Case Study of Ecuador

Dr Chrissie Gale and Mg Patricia Calero Teran - CELCIS & SOS Children's Villages, 01 Nov 2016

The European Commission Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) commissioned SOS Children’s Villages International to undertake case studies of arrangements for ‘alternative child care’ in six non-European countries across three continents to help inform the EU’s future strategy for provision of support for children in countries outside Europe. This report is a case study of one of the six countries, Ecuador.

Determinants and Consequences of Children Living Outside of Parental Care in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Views and Experiences of Adults and Young People in Family and Residential Care

Mónica Ruiz-Casares, Saithong Phommavong - Global Social Welfare, 16 Apr 2016

This study explores the determinants of child-parent separation and the consequences of existing alternative care arrangements from the perspectives of adults and young people in Laos.

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Understanding Vulnerabilities and Strengthening Response - Community-based Integration of Anti-trafficking and Human Rights Protections within Post-Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal August - December 2015: Report

Milan Dharel, Writu Bhatta Rai and Nanimaya Thapa – Free the Slaves, 27 Mar 2016

This report examines the effects the 2015 Nepal earthquakes had on vulnerable populations. It lists several concerns faced since the earthquake, which include the thousands of people who have lost their homes and children left unaccompanied.

Protecting Cambodia’s Children? The Role of Commune Committees for Women and Children and Informal Community-based Child Protection Mechanisms in Cambodia

M. Jordanwood - World Vision Cambodia, 01 Mar 2016

This study was aimed at filling a gap in information on Commune Committees for Women and Children (CCWCs) and their function. This study examines the successes of CCWCs in implementing and achieving policy goals, and the roles they play in linking children and families to child protection services.