Child Adoption and Custody in Islamic Law: A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review

Amum Mahbub Ali, Sayehu, Naf’an Torihoran

Child adoption remains a complex and sensitive issue within Islamic legal discourse, particularly due to its tension with Western legal frameworks that often permit full adoptive rights, including name changes and inheritance. This study addresses the central problem: how can Islamic law reconcile child protection needs with religious norms that prohibit altering a child’s lineage? The research aims to investigate how the concept of kafalah in Islamic jurisprudence serves as an alternative to formal adoption and how Muslim-majority countries navigate the duality between sharia and civil legal systems.

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Safety and beyond? Exploring children's priorities for their participation in the child protection and welfare process

Robbie Gilligan, Stephanie Holt, Eavan Brady, Louise Caffrey

This study reanalyzes interviews with 20 children in Ireland to explore their perspectives on participation in child protection processes involving their families. Findings show that while children often shared adult concerns, they viewed participation differently—particularly regarding risk, safety, stigma, and the need for ongoing dialogue—highlighting the importance of more child-centred approaches in practice.

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An Approach to Care Models for Disabled Children in Need of Protection in Selected Countries

Burak Küsmez and Abdullah Selim Doğan

Child protection systems have traditionally emphasized remedial services over prevention, often relying on uniform care models that fail to account for children’s diverse needs. This study examines the child protection systems of countries representing various welfare models and comparatively evaluates the practices for disabled children in need of protection in these systems.

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Developing and Evaluating Theory-Based Messages to Promote Foster Care

Sofia Ferreira, João Graça, Eunice Magalhães

Foster care is the preferred out-of-home placement for children at risk. However, the number of children in child protection systems exceeds the availability of foster families, highlighting the need for recruitment campaigns. Despite the growing development of such campaigns, their results have not been evaluated. This study aimed to design and experimentally evaluate messages to increase awareness, willingness, and intention to foster in Portugal.

Institutions: accountability as a key to reforming children’s alternative care

Jennifer Davidson

Drawing on the panel and discussions at the Global Study’s Global Conference on Justice for Children Deprived of Liberty 2024 Geneva event, this chapter outlines key elements required for deinstitutionalisation for effective children’s care reforms that are accountable to children. It proposes a two-pronged approach of systems change reforms reinforced by accountability mechanisms to achieve this for children in institutions specifically for care purposes.

Bridging Gaps in Grandparenting: Kinship Navigator Programs Mitigate Sociodemographic Disparities in Caregiving Challenges of Informal Kinship Placement: A Latent Class Analysis

Hung-Peng Lina, Angelique G. Daya, Emiko A. Tajimaa, et. al.

This study investigates how Kinship Navigator Programs (KNPs) help mitigate disparities in caregiving challenges faced by informal kinship caregivers (especially grandparents) of maltreated children. Using Latent Class Analysis, the research identifies three distinct patterns of caregiving challenges: financial, child's behavioral/emotional health, and intergenerational family dynamics. 

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Solomon Islands Child and Family Welfare System: Multi-Sectoral Implementation Plan 2025-2030

Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services (Social Welfare Division) and UNICEF

The Solomon Island's Child and Family Welfare Act 2017 signalled a strong commitment from the government to strengthen national efforts to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children. This Multi-Sectoral Implementation Plan 2025–2030 outline's the government's plan to improve services to strengthen family and community caring practices and to ensure a timely and appropriate response to all children in need of care and protection.

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The Human Rights Challenges Experienced by Queer Youth in Out-of-Home Care: A Systematic Scoping Review

Oscar Johnston, Lynne McPherson, Kathomi Gatwiri, and Antonia Canosa

The human rights challenges faced by Queer youth in out-of-home care (OOHC), such as foster and residential care, have largely been overlooked in child protection research, policy, and practice development. This systematic scoping review aims to identify and synthesize the existing international, English-language, empirical research documenting the human rights challenges experienced by Queer youth in OOHC systems.

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Integrated Healthcare for Youth in Foster Care: A Narrative Review

Christina Quick, Mary Claire Meimers, Emma Buchele, et. al.

Integrated healthcare models combining behavioral and primary care provide solutions for vulnerable pediatric populations, especially youth in foster care, facing disproportionately high rates of chronic conditions and mental health issues. This review synthesizes current literature to assess the impact of integrated care on health outcomes for youth in foster care in the U.S..

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Benchmarking Report on Parenting Support Policies and Programs in the Republic of Serbia

UNICEF Serbia

The first comprehensive “Benchmarking Report on Parenting Support Policies and Programs in the Republic of Serbia” aims to support national and local efforts to improve the availability and quality of systemic, cross-sectoral support for parents and caregivers in Serbia, in order to ensure the optimal development of children and young people.

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