Child Care and Protection System Reforms

Social welfare sector reform is increasingly common, particularly in transitional countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Increasing attention has been paid to the development of preventive community based child and family welfare programs that would, in coordination with health and education programs and social assistance, provide a range of support for vulnerable families.

Recognition of the damaging effects of institutional care on children and its high cost has influenced governments to redirect resources towards alternative family and community-based care practices such as kinship care, fostering, and adoption. Redirecting resources in the context of social welfare reforms requires a commitment from governments to provide adequate financing for effective policy implementation.

Funding availability raises a variety of issues regarding the level and type of support to be provided, the private or public management of services, and the entitlement process. Social welfare should protect the rights of children and their caretakers via fair and clear criteria of support provisions, with transparent procedures for the effective allocation of services.

Social welfare reforms to protect and support children and families need to be built on legal protections and child care policies which reflect the same child centred goals. Alternative forms of community based care, combined with social reintegration programmes and family support services, must be developed to reduce the use of institutions and enable children leaving institutions to rejoin their communities.

The resources in this section focus on country initiatives in reforming their social welfare sector to finance community based care developments.

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Executive Summary of Enhanced Protection for Children Affected by AIDS - SPANISH

UNICEF, 31 Jul 2008

Outlines how to strengthen social protection, legal protection, and alternative care for children at country level. Contains specific actions that governments and NGO's can take to decrease the vulnerability of children affected by AIDS and respond to instances of abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Executive Summary of Enhanced Protection of Children Affected by AIDS

UNICEF, 31 Jul 2008

Third Edition of the ISS Special Series on the Draft UN Guidelines on the Appropriate Use and Conditions of Alternative Care for Children

International Social Service, 31 Jul 2008

Evaluates country level implementation of principles set forth in Guidelines.

Executive Summary of Enhanced Protection for Children Affected by AIDS - FRENCH

UNICEF, 31 Jul 2008

Strategic Approach to Categorizing Progress on Child Welfare Reform in CEE/CIS Countries

University of Pittsburgh, Office of Child Development, 01 Jul 2008

The purpose of this report is to create a strategy for assessing the status and progress of child welfare reform in CEE/CIS countries using the best available quantitative and qualitative information.