Social Protection Policies and Programmes

Poverty affects both the quality and length of children’s lives, reduces the ability of families to adequately provide for their children, and is a significant cause of family breakdown and child separation. Social assistance programmes aim to reduce child poverty and act as a safety net for families with minimal resources.

Such programmes include in-kind and in-cash transfers, and food for work initiatives. Social assistance programmes are a part of social welfare and must include clear child care policies that protect children and strengthen family and community capacities to access services and provide care.

Cash transfers are a means of financially supporting the most vulnerable households to improve the child’s access to essential goods and services, such as health and education. They include the use of child support grants, child and family allowances and targeted and conditional cash transfers. They may be combined with investment in child education and health services, and redistributive tax policies.

In-kind transfers provide access to essential goods and services instead of cash payments. Conditional cash transfers provide money to poor families on achieving certain actions, such as sending children to school.

Social assistance programmes may struggle to target those most in need, and provide sustainable support. Economic policies, including social assistance, and household economic strengthening, require substantial research, monitoring, and gatekeeping to ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable are reached and that long term benefits can be achieved for families, including child headed households.

The literature in this section provides country examples and analyses of social assistance programs, focusing primarily on cash transfer schemes.

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Child Poverty and Cash Transfers

Armando Barrientos and Jocelyn DeJong, 2006

This paper examines the effectiveness of targeted cash transfers programs on reducing childhood poverty. It also explored the comparatives effectiveness of different kinds of cash transfers.

Using Social Transfers to Scale Up Equitable Access to Education and Health Services

Katie Chapman, 2006

This paper focuses on the impact of one form of demand-side policy option - social transfers, particularly cash transfers and vouchers - on access to health and education services by the extreme poor.

Implementation of the Child Support Grant: A Study of Four Provinces and Recommendations for Improved Service Delivery

Beth Goldblatt, Solange Rosa, and Katharine Hall, 2006

Using fieldwork data from six sites, this report addresses the need for improved delivery of the Child Support Grant in South Africa. Includes a comprehensive review of the grant components and current system of delivery. Recommended changes to the act and regulations are highlighted.

Guidelines for Combatting Child Labor Among Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

International Labor Organization IPEC and PRO 169, 2006

Guidelines to address the specific needs and rights of indigenous children in the context of child labour. Includes a comprehensive list of follow-up resources.

Social Protection: How important are the National Plans of Action for Orphans and Vulnerable Children?

Rachel Sabates-Wheeler and Lissa Pelham, 2006

This briefing paper emerges from a review of 14 national plans of action (NPA), or in the absence of a NPA, outputs from the rapid assessment analysis and action planning (RAAAP) work for orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. The purpose is to analyse the way that issues of social protection are incorporated into these plans and to highlight areas within the plans where social protection activity may be needed to achieve stated outcomes. Annex 3 summarises, country by country, the social protection content of each NPA.

"With their effort and one opportunity": Alleviating Extreme Poverty in Chile

Emanuela Galasso, 2006

Evaluates the effect of an anti-poverty program, Chile Solidario, during its first two years of operation. Estimate the impact of the program on a large array of socio-economic outcomes including education, health, housing, and employment. Finds also suggest the key role that psycho-social support had in enabling this change, by increasing awareness of social services in the community as well as households’ orientation towards the future.

Alternative Care Workshop Group 1: Social Protection and strengthening Social Services for supporting families to care for their children

29 Nov 2005

This document presents notes from the Group 1 session of the Alternative Care Workshop in Bangkok in November 2005, focused on Social Protection and strengthening Social Services for supporting families to care for their children.

Alternative Care: From Prevention to Response

Alexandra Yuster, 29 Nov 2005

This presentation from UNICEF was given at the Alternative Care Workshop in Bangkok in November 2005. It highlights the links between alternative care and social protection in the South East Asia region and outlines a strategic plan.

Reviewing Ten Years of the School Nutrition Programme

Russell Andrew Wildeman and Nobuntu Mbebetho, 2005

Reviews the history, effectiveness, and efficacy of the School Nutrition Programme in South Africa. Conclusions strengthen arguments for programme expansion.

Economic Strengthening Activities Benefiting Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa: Mapping of Field Programs

Carolyn Barnes, 2005

This paper identifies programs in sub-Saharan Africa focused on economic strengthening interventions, and analyzes their approaches and impact on orphans and vulnerable children. Interventions focused on savings and lending groups, micro-leasing, market linkages and household gardening appear to be particularly effective.