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The Government of Ghana with UNICEF support developed an Inter-Sectoral Standard Operating Procedure for child protection and family welfare (ISSOP). The ISSOP provides a harmonized framework of agreed standards, principles and procedures for all child protection and family welfare stakeholders to understand each other’s roles and responsibilities. In addition, the ISSOP helps to hold stakeholders mutually accountable to each other and the beneficiaries they serve. It identifies specific procedures to the use of forms, tools and guides by the social services and other key stakeholders. The…
Abstract:
Globally, there are multiple efforts to reform child welfare systems to promote better care for children, with attention to preventing unnecessary separation of children from their families and ensuring the provision of alternative care for children deprived of parental care. In Ghana, the need for a strong monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system has been identified as necessary to provide timely, reliable, and accurate information to assess whether approaches and interventions are effective, to improve accountability and learning, and to inform planning and…
These Standards for Foster Care are available to all stakeholders engaged in the protection, care and support of children where foster care provision may be required. These Standards are intended to guide social workers and other service providers in monitoring foster care services. The primary aim of these Standards is to ensure that the best interests of the child are sought when a child is placed in foster care. These Standards will lay the foundation for ensuring that foster care is a viable alternative care solution for children in need of care and protection.
These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) describe guiding principles, procedures, roles and responsibilities in the prevention of and response to child protection for children residing within Ghana. The SOPs build on national and Ghana based practices, protocols and legal frameworks as well as international minimum standards. They are designed to be used together with existing resources related to prevention and response to child protection. This Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is intended as a guide for social workers in handling cases of children in need of care and protection. This…
Introduction
Foster care provides a family-based setting for children whose biological family is unable or unwilling to care for them. Foster care is the least restrictive formal alternative care option for children in need of care, providing a family life for children who cannot live with their own parents. As with all alternative care arrangements, the goal of foster care is reunification; returning the child to their home as soon as the problems that caused them to come into foster care have been resolved and it is clear that their parents are able to look after them safely. However, in…
Introduction
The role of the Case Management Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Children in Need of Care and Protection cannot be overemphasized. These SOPs describe guiding principles, procedures, roles and responsibilities in the prevention of and response to child protection for children residing within Ghana. The SOPs build on national and Ghana based practices, protocols and legal frameworks as well as international minimum standards. They are designed to be used together with existing resources related to prevention and response to child protection.
This Standard Operating…
Introduction
Infants are precious and vulnerable; therefore, they need a lot of love, attention and quality time with caregivers. Parents have known this instinctively for centuries and research continues to confirm that “a human infant cannot survive without someone providing food, protection and affection. Because of this, human babies are born with a very strong instinct and need to bond with a caregiver”. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the first five years of a child’s life are the most important for brain development especially within the first three years when the brain…
Introduction
National Standards for Residential Homes for Children (RHCs) in Ghana are in place to ensure the quality and consistency of care of children in residential care in line with international and domestic legal frameworks. The Standards are intended to guide all those responsible for planning and providing residential care services, and for making decisions on the licensing or closure of RHCs. DSW is legally mandated to inspect and monitor RHCs to ensure compliance with the Standards.
These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the inspection and monitoring of RHCs in Ghana…
The revised Standards outlined in this document are aimed at strengthening the first National Standards for Residential Homes for Children (RHC) in Ghana, developed in 2010. The Standards set out guidance on the admission of children into RHC and reintegration of children with their families. Among the updates made to these Standards are "provisions on the use of volunteers in RHC as a safeguard against orphanage 'volunteerism' which has been shown to not only impact negatively on children’s well-being but also actively encouraging the proliferation of residential homes…
The Care Reform Initiative launched in 2006 to update and enforce the Regulations and Standards for the Operation of Residential Care Setting in Ghana is a joint venture between the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) and OrphanAid Africa. These Standards are part of a reform initiative programme that involves the provision of various forms of support by OrphanAid Africa and other partners; to enhance the capacity of DSW to encourage family based care. The aim of the programme is to ensure that institutional care is used as a last resort, and that when it is used, these establishments comply…