Social Protection Policies and Programmes

Poverty affects both the quality and length of children’s lives, reduces the ability of families to adequately provide for their children, and is a significant cause of family breakdown and child separation. Social assistance programmes aim to reduce child poverty and act as a safety net for families with minimal resources.

Such programmes include in-kind and in-cash transfers, and food for work initiatives. Social assistance programmes are a part of social welfare and must include clear child care policies that protect children and strengthen family and community capacities to access services and provide care.

Cash transfers are a means of financially supporting the most vulnerable households to improve the child’s access to essential goods and services, such as health and education. They include the use of child support grants, child and family allowances and targeted and conditional cash transfers. They may be combined with investment in child education and health services, and redistributive tax policies.

In-kind transfers provide access to essential goods and services instead of cash payments. Conditional cash transfers provide money to poor families on achieving certain actions, such as sending children to school.

Social assistance programmes may struggle to target those most in need, and provide sustainable support. Economic policies, including social assistance, and household economic strengthening, require substantial research, monitoring, and gatekeeping to ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable are reached and that long term benefits can be achieved for families, including child headed households.

The literature in this section provides country examples and analyses of social assistance programs, focusing primarily on cash transfer schemes.

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Someone that Matters: The Quality of Care in Childcare Institutions in Indonesia

Florence Martin and Tata Sudrajat, Save the Children, Indonesia Ministry of Social Affairs, UNICEF, 07 Jan 2007

Comprehensive evaluation of national responses and level of care standards for children without parental care in Indonesia.

Policy Framework for Children and AIDS, India

UNICEF, 2007

This Policy Framework seeks to broaden the focus to address the needs of the overwhelming majority of children in India affected by HIV/AIDS by covering a broader agenda, spanning both the medical and socioeconomic dimensions of the epidemic as it affects children.

HIV/AIDS Education: What African Youth Say Is Effective

W. James Jacob, Stacey A. Shaw, Donald E. Morisky, Steven J.Hite, &, 2007

A study of HIV/AIDS education programs and direction for creating curricula in African schools.

Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities: Innocenti Digest No. 13

UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2007

A report on the situation of the millions of children globally with disabilities, and the challenges faced in realizing their human rights. It gives an overview of international standards, and strategies for advancing the social inclusion of children with disabilities in their families, schools, communities, and wider society.

Children Without Parental Care in the Caribbean

Patricia Lim Ah Ken, 2007

A regional assessment of responses to children outside parental care in the Caribbean. Extensive research on successful examples of alternative care. Includes recommendations and lessons learned.

Community and Family Models of Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa

Jon Singletary, 2007

Unites scripture and evidence to help guide North American Christians in responding the needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS. Identifies the shortcomings of institutional care and outlines specific and better alternatives available for supporting children in Africa. Highlights related resources for follow-up.

The Challenges of El Salvador's Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Red Solidaria

Tatiana Feitosa de Britto, International Poverty Centre, 2007

Provides analysis of the historical background and current structure of El Salvador's conditional cash transfer programme with attention to family integration

Evaluating the Impact of Brazil's Bolsa Familia Program

Fábio Veras Soares, Rafael Perez Ribas, Rafael Guerreiro Osório, 2007

Evaluates targeting and human capital impacts of Brazil's Bolsa Familia Program in comparison with Mexico's Oportunidades, and Chile's Chile Solidario.