Children without appropriate care (CWAC) is a priority focus area for Save the Children’s child protection work. The CWAC Strategy 2013-2015 outlines the key priorities that Save the Children (SC) aims to achieve by 2015. The overall strategic goal of care interventions within child protection is that by 2015, 4.6 million children without appropriate care, and their families, including children affected by HIV/AIDS and those on the move, will benefit from good-quality preventive and/or remedial interventions within an improved child protection system.

The CWAC Strategy has two objectives: the first focuses on strengthening families and preventing unnecessary separation and the second on ensuring that children on the move have access to relevant care and protection systems. With its first objective the CWAC Strategy contributes towards SC’s Child Protection Breakthrough by focusing on strengthening families and preventing unnecessary separation, including unsafe migration for children on the move. SC’s programmes within this strategic priority will aim to develop and implement family- and community-based prevention and alternative care models to demonstrate the feasibility and positive impact of quality care provision. With its second objective, the CWAC Strategy contributes towards the breakthrough by ensuring that separated and unaccompanied children are provided with family tracing and reunification services, in the best interest of the child. This aims to ensure that children do not end up in institutional care or on the move, which could place them at greater risk of harm and/or exploitation.