Building on the UN Day of Discussion on Alternative Care.

We’re excited to be facilitating partnerships and gathering evidence to support government leadership for quality and impact of alternative care for children.

Last month held global importance for those who have experience of alternative care, and for those of us who are passionate about doing right by them. 

The Committee on the Rights of the Child (the body of independent experts responsible for reviewing progress made by countries in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child), devoted its Sep 2021 day of general discussion to fostering a deeper understanding about how we can better meet the rights of children in alternative care, and prevent unnecessary care.  You can read more about it here.

During that meeting, we heard some young people tell us how they had lost their ‘childhood’ and lost their ‘dreams’ as a result of being placed in alternative care. Their sobering reflections are a telling reminder of the persistent implementation gap between our collective aspirations, and the day to day realities for far too many children. 

It’s crystal clear that there is far more to do to support governments to effectively lead the crucial efforts that are needed. Key pillars of a protection system that prevents unnecessary care and delivers quality alternative care if it’s needed includes, for example, the best community supports for children and their families to keep them together and safe; quality loving care for children who are experiencing alternative care as they grow up, and access to justice to make sure they are able to claim their rights, including protecting their right to their identity.

These messages echo similar findings from the 2019 United Nations Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, and its recommendations to address children’s experiences in institutions.

Change can happen, but it won’t be by accident. There are great examples around the world of good quality care, but these are patchy and hard to sustain delivery at scale. Sustained intergovernmental and government leadership, civil society buy-in including the full and meaningful participation of children and young people in decisions that affect their lives, are key drivers of change, reinforced by clarity about what quality care looks (and feels) like daily, across various cultures and contexts. 

We are eager to contribute to the change we have yet to see for children and for their families.

To help close this implementation gap, the Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures at the University of Strathclyde is inviting together partners with a range of international child rights knowledge, child protection wisdom and personal experiences of alternative care, with a view to facilitating a compelling international research project to generate clarity on the quality and impact of alternative care. 

You’re warmly invited to sign up to our contact list  if you’d like to know more as our plans develop!

Professor Jennifer Davidson
Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures
University of Strathclyde