Gatekeeping | Better Care Network

Gatekeeping

"Gatekeeping," as it is used on this web site, is the process of referring children and families to appropriate services or care arrangements with the aim of limiting the number of inappropriate placements. Gatekeeping is an essential tool in diverting children from unnecessary initial entry into alternative care, and reducing the numbers of children entering institutions. Gatekeeping is often carried out by social welfare professionals or trained staff at institutions, but is often aided by members of the community and local service providers.

Effective and fair gatekeeping requires a system of safeguards and monitoring to prevent system abuse, and to ensure access to services for those who are most vulnerable. It is dependent upon an assessment and allocation process which is systematic and fair and the availability of a range of family support services and community based care options. Such supports may include economic strengthening, social assistance programmes, family services, including day care, and health or education provision.

To support family unity and prevent the unnecessary entry of a child into the care system, a thorough assessment of the child’s individual needs is required in order to determine the most suitable family support service or alternative community care option. This should be combined with a high threshold for admission into care. The care plan for the child and the available services require regular reviews, with the emphasis on the best interests of the child.

The use of gatekeeping to reduce the institutionalisation of children requires a commitment to appropriate child care policies at state level. Resources and staff must be sufficient to assess needs and service entitlement, and provide services for children and their families. Such efforts require a high level of co-ordination between providers from government and non-governmental child care organisations.

The documents in this section provide information on mechanisms for effective gatekeeping in order to reduce the unnecessary entry of a child into out-of-home care and avoid inappropriate forms of care.

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Consultancy on the Establishment of Foster Care Regulations and Minimum Operating Standards for Insitutional Care of Children in Guyana

Andrew Dunn and John Parry-Williams - UNICEF, 2006

Detailed guidelines for the establishment of the Child Protection Service (CPS), designed to address the lack of regulations concerning standards in children’s institutions and the lack of departmental policy and procedures for assessing and assisting abused and at-risk children. Includes comprehensive set of CPS forms in 14 annexes.

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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Suggestions for a Strategy to Develop Alternative Care and Diversion Systems Through Government Structures in Sri Lanka

John Parry-Williams, 2006

A situation analysis of laws, policies, and structures relevant to child protection in Sri Lanka, and a set of recommendations for improving the alternative care system.

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Elaborating A Lifelong Plan: Family Reintegration

International Social Service and International Reference Center for the Rights of Children Deprived of their Family (ISS/IRC) , 31 Dec 2005

A brief fact sheet on family reintegration. Provides an overview of what a social worker should pay attention to when assessing a child's situation.

Children and Disability in Transition CEE/CIS and Baltic States

UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2005

Report presents and analyzes new research and data around children with disabilities in the region, the effects of institutional care, and the need for family support services.

Scotland: National Care Standards: Foster Care and Family Placement Services

Scottish Executive, 2005

Serves as an example of fostering service standards from the perspective of children, birth families, and foster caregivers

Promising Practices in Community-Based Social Services in CEE/CIS/Baltics

Rebecca T. Davis, 2005

Provides a framework for analysis of community-based social welfare services and linkages with government structures. Includes analysis of alternative care provision, de-institutionalization, programming for children with disabilities, standards of care, and overall social welfare sector reform.

Risk, Network Quality, and Family Structure: Child Fostering Decisions in Burkina Faso

Richard Akresh, 31 Dec 2004

Analyzes household decisions to send and receive children via fostering. Results show fostering used as a social protection mechanism to cope with income shock (sending) and address family labor shortages (receiving).

Children in Institutions: Prevention and Alternative Care: Final Report

Bragi Gudbrandsson, Working Group on Children at Risk in Care, Council of Europe, 19 May 2004

A comparative analysis of protection and care systems across Europe, focusing on the use of institutions, alternative forms of care placements, family support services, and the role of social workers in the process of child placement.

Children in Institutions: Prevention and Alternative Care

Bragi Gudbrandsson, 2004

This report contains an overview of alternative care in Europe, the effects of institutions on children, statistical information and the different approaches of child protection systems within Europe. It includes reforming institutional care, foster care, post-care support, and the role of the social worker.