Why Care Matters: The importance of adequate care for children and society

This report reflects the views and collective expertise of 15 national organisations working hands on with millions of vulnerable children worldwide. These organisations have come together to form Family for Every Child, an alliance aimed at enabling more children to grow up safe and protected in families and to access temporary, quality alternative care when needed.

Supporting children to grow up in a permanent, safe and caring family is at the heart of adequate care. All children, where possible, should be cared for by their own family. Where this is not possible, adoption, the kafala of the Islamic world or similar practices should be used to give children a permanent home within a family. Or where a child requires temporary alternative care, this should be family-based or as family-like as possible, and the child should be reintegrated back home or placed into a permanent, safe and caring family as soon as possible. Achieving this requires investment in vulnerable families and communities to strengthen their ability to care for their own children, as well as in quality, family-based, alternative care. It also means giving children without adequate care a stronger voice and raising awareness of their needs.

The report concludes with five recommendations for the prevention of and response to inadequate care of children:

1. Build an in-depth understanding of care in each context, and develop locally appropriate responses.
2. Make the care of children a political and financial priority.
3. Ensure broader development and humanitarian work reinforces the effective care of children.
4. Increase the coverage and quality of social protection in order to strengthen the capacity of families to care for children.
5. Ensure that each country adheres to the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children.