Report based on a synthesis of eight assessments of the implementation of the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children in Benin, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
It considers common challenges to implementing the Guidelines identified in the eight countries and provides a platform for advocacy to promote every child’s right to quality care.
Key findings:
- There is a lack of formal child care provision and an increasing burden placed on informal care arrangements.
- Of the formal care provided, most was in residential care – often by unlicensed providers – that fails to meet individual child needs.
- The inconsistent quality and lack of government monitoring reveal high levels of risk around child protection.
- There is a lack of support to help families care for children, before any need for alternative care may arise. Many children currently in alternative care could be living with their parents, but prevention services are not supported by governments, are poorly coordinated, and reach only a small proportion of the population in need.