Making Decisions for the Better Care of Children: The role of gatekeeping in strengthening family-based care and reforming alternative care systems

Gatekeeping involves making decisions about care in the best interests of children who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care. It is a systematic procedure that aims to ensure that alternative care for children is used only when it is necessary and that the child receives the most suitable support. 

This working paper examines how gatekeeping is ensuring better decision-making and provision of services to children in Brazil, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Moldova and Rwanda.