Child Care and Protection Policies

Child care and protection policies regulate the care of children, including the type of support and assistance to be offered, good practice guidelines for the implementation of services, standards for care, and adequate provisions for implementation. They relate to the care a child receives at and away from home.

States and all organisations with child care programmes should have child care policies which are in line with national legislation and international law, e.g. the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). In line with the CRC, emphasis should be placed on the child’s best interests, with support to families prioritised in order to prevent family separation. Good gatekeeping mechanisms are essential in ensuring families receive the services they need and are entitled to, and to guard against inappropriate placement into poor care arrangements.

Home-based care, day care, and other family support services are mechanisms for assisting families in providing for the child’s development and, when used appropriately, can prevent child separation. When a child is unable to remain at home, alternative forms of community based care should be prioritised, such as formal kinship care or foster care. The use of institutions should be highlighted as a last and temporary measure. All support and care provisions should outline the referral and admission process, the use of care plans, regular reviews, rehabilitation, and aftercare procedures.

Child protection legislation which recognises that abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect, and may be carried out by parents, caretakers, children and other adults is required. All agencies working with children should have written child protection policies which respect the rights of the child. Policies should outline behaviours and actions which are unacceptable, provide standards for the appropriate care of children, and clear guidelines on what procedures to follow and by whom, including reporting mechanisms for suspected abuse to an assigned authority for investigation.

Child care and protection policies require resources and monitoring of standards to ensure their appropriate implementation. Adequate provision and training of child care and social work staff is required to deliver family support services and alternatives forms of child care. All staff working with children should be trained and supervised in providing appropriate care for children, identifying abuse, and responding appropriately.

The literature in this section contains country reports and examples of national and organisational child care and protection policies.

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Early Childhood and family life: Guide of good practices for the right of young children to live in a family and a community - Spanish

RELAF and UNICEF, 2015

This Guide, written in Spanish, features a compilation of several social protection programs, services and public policies that resulted in the prevention of family breakdown and in the support of families and communities in caring and protecting their children. All these examples are taken from the Latin American region, Italy and Romania.

Training Toolkit on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

The African Child Policy Forum & the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, with financial support from Save the Children, 2015

This toolkit is designed to increase knowledge of the rights and duties provided in the ACRWC and ACERWC, educate government officials on the obligations of State Parties and inform civil society actors on the contents of the Charter as well as the mechanisms for engaging with the ACERWC.

Strengthen African Families - The ‘SAFe’ Campaign: A Call for Change

SAFe Campaign Partners , 2015

This Call for Change from the ‘SAFe’ Campaign in Uganda provides an overview of the situation of orphaned and vulnerable children in Uganda, highlights key concerns related to this situation, and outlines ways forward for strengthening families.

Country Care Profile: Ghana

Better Care Network, UNICEF, PEPFAR, USAID, 2015

This country care profile provides an overview of key lessons learned in the children’s care reform process in Ghana, including successes, challenges and areas for progress, and gaps in learning and best practice.

PROMOTING FAMILY-BASED CARE IN CAMBODIA: EVALUATION OF CHILDCARE REFORM PROJECTS

USAID, 2015

This evaluation assesses two alternative care reform projects in Cambodia that share a common aim of strengthening child protection systems from grassroots to national levels.

Interagency Child Protection Protocol: Anguilla

Ministry of Health and Social Development, Department of Social Development, UNICEF, 2015

The Interagency Child Protection Protocol aims to offer guidance and support on good practices for the identification, reporting, investigation, case management, and prosecution of child abuse cases in Anguilla.

Fact Sheet for Tribal Child Welfare Officials

Children’s Bureau , 2015

This factsheet looks at whether States in the US are following best practices in regards to the Indian Child Welfare Act, such as notification of Tribes and placement preferences. Findings from the Reviews are presented.

SHAME ON U.S. - Failings by All Three Branches of Our Federal Government Leave Abused and Neglected Children Vulnerable to Further Harm

Children’s Advocacy Institute of the University of San Diego School of Law , 2015

This study, produced by the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the San Diego School of Law, examines the activities of the federal government of the United States in regards to enacting and enforcing child welfare laws and ensuring that individual states are complying with minimum federal standards for child protection.

Your Rights Under the Indian Child Welfare Act

Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and Legal Services State Support, 2015

This fact sheet describes the rights of native children and families under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in the United States.

National Plan of Action for Children in Kenya 2015-2022

National Council for Children’s Services, 2015

The National Plan of Action (NPA) provides an operational framework to guide stakeholders and partners in coordinating, planning, implementing and monitoring programmes for the child.