"I gave her all my love and told her some fun stories, just fun stories for her to laugh. I used to bathe her. I played with her. I'd say, 'Clap for me,' and she'd clap... We are the victims. We are the best people to take care of the children" 

Konah Kupee, Age 37, Ebola Survivor caring for 5 year old girl in the Ebola Unit

Ebola Survivor caring for 5 year old girl in the Ebola Unit - Los Angeles Times
 

Provision of Alternative Care to Children Affected and Infected with Ebola in Liberia (DRAFT)

Responding to the Ebola Epidemic

In light of the world's largest Ebola epidemic, the Faith to Action Initiative has released an article on its website advising its partners on how to respond to this epidemic and its effects on children's care.

UNICEF: The impact of Ebola on children's care- A case study from Liberia
This case study illustrates the challenges of many children who are facing serious care and protection issues as a result of the impact of Ebola in Liberia and the efforts of international and national agencies to support them.

A Reporter Reveals Ebola's Effect on One Family

A reporter from the New York Times traveled to Liberia to collect the stories of Liberians affected by Ebola.

For Ebola Orphans In Liberia, It's A Bittersweet New Beginning

This reportive piece from NPR covers the reunification of 18 children with their families in Liberia after being quarantined at an Ebola care center, or "shelter" in Monrovia.

Ebola orphans seek new families in Sierra Leone - Video 

This video by Katie Mark from the Guardian depicts the impact of the Ebola epidemic on the foster care system in Sierra Leone.

In Liberia, Ebola survivors care for orphans of the disease

This article from the Los Angeles Times describes the challenges Ebola survivors face upon returning to their communities.  

Guidelines for Kinship Care, Foster Care, and Supported Independent Living in Liberia

The Guidelines for Kinship Care, Foster Care and Supported Independent Living in Liberia are intended to provide harmonized national guidance for child welfare practitioners in order to improve the quality of family-based alternative care services in Liberia, particularly for children without appropriate care (CWAC).

Children Without Appropriate Care Desk Review Summary Report: Liberia

This report provides an overview of Liberia's alternative care context, identifies key stakeholders who are involved in the child protection field in the country, and summarizes the Child Care Legal and Policy Framework related to alternative care.

Capacity Building Plan to Implement the Guidelines for Kinship Care, Foster Care and Supported Independent Living in Liberia

Department of Social Welfare Capacity Building Plan to Implement The Guidelines for Children Without Appropriate Care: Rapid Context Assessment - Final Report

This Context Assessment, produced by Maestral International, aims to collect and review all relevant information to support the development of the Department of Social Welfare's (DSW) institutional capacities to execute the new framework for alternative care in Liberia.

Roadmap for the Implementation of the Guidelines on Kinship Care, Foster Care and Supported Independent Living in Liberia

This "roadmap" document outlines  the recommended implementation strategies and activities for strengthening  family- and community-based alternative care in Liberia. It accompanies the Guidelines on Kinship Care, Foster Care and Supported Independent Living (the Guidelines) and the Capacity Building Plan to Implement  the Guidelines (CBP). 

Parents Make the Difference: Findings from a randomized impact evaluation of a parenting program in rural Liberia 
This impact evaluation examines the 'Parents Make the Difference' project in Liberia, a program aimed at promoting the wellbeing of young children aged 3 to 7 through reducing harsh punishment, improving parenting practices, improving child development, and increasing malaria prevention behavior.

Child Abuse and Neglect Special Issue

The Child Abuse and Neglect Journal published a special issue on the Positive Role of Religion and Religious Communities in Child Protection. Articles from this special issue include:

• The Positive Role of Religion and Religious Communities in Child Protection 
• Engaging Religious Communities to Protect Children From Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation 
• Christianity's Commitments to Nurturing and Protecting Children: Biblical Foundations
• The Nurture and Protection of Children in Islam: Perspectives from Islamic Sources
• Buddhism and Children
• Jewish Provisions for Protecting Children: Modern Rabbis Advocate Non-Violence
• The Church and Child Protection: The Safe Families Story  

Partnering with Religious Communities for Children

This document is intended as a guide, primarily for UNICEF staff and partners, to building effective partnerships with larger religious, and local faith, communities and networks, especially religious leaders. 

ACC International - Kinnected Program: Processes and Trends

The Kinnected program, developed by the Australian Christian Churches International (ACCI), is working toward the reduction of use of residential care of children and aims to assist children within the context of their families. This document provides an outline of the program and an overview of the lessons learnt. 

Twinning in the Best Interests of Children: Promoting Family Life, Not Orphanages

This document, published by Catholic Relief Services, urges members of the Catholic faith community to consider the best interests of the child when partnering, or "twinning" with parishes in Haiti and undertaking charitable activities. 

Orphanage Voluntourism in Nepal and its Links to the Displacement and Unnecessary Institutionalization of Children

This article argues that orphanage voluntourism fuels the displacement and trafficking of children from their families in Nepal and their unnecessary institutionalization.  

This Human Rights Watch report gives a detailed overview of the situation faced by children with disabilities in orphanages in Russia.

The Right of Children to Live in a Caring and Supportive Family Environment: Examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia

On 10 September 2014, UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria co-hosted a high level lunchtime discussion on the right of children below three years to live in a caring and supportive family environment: examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. 

Zambia - Minimum Standards of Care for Child Care Facilities: Regulations and Procedures

This document contains a set of regulations and procedures which the Zambian Government has established as the "Minimum Standards of Care for Child Care Facilities," in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The document serves as a "blueprint" for applying those minimum standards to ensure the best interests of the child in care facilities. 

Assessment of Children Reintegrated from Orphanages in Rwanda

This assessment is aimed at examining the situation of the children reintegrated from three orphanages in Rwanda, to assess the processes used to reintegrate those children, and to compare professional and non-professional models of reintegration.

Ireland - The Longer Term Experiences of Parent Training: A Qualitative Analysis

This study involved the use of qualitative methods as part of a larger process evaluation to explore the longer-term experiences of parents who participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Incredible Years Parenting Programme (IYPP) in disadvantaged settings in Ireland.

A Solid Investment: Integrating Children Without Parental Care into the Post-2015 Development Framework

In this paper, SOS Children's Villages demonstrates how children who lack or are at risk of losing parental care are highly vulnerable to various forms of poverty and inequality. The paper proposes operational strategies for action as well as targets and indicators designed to monitor progress among these children.

United Kingdom - Unit Costs of Health and Social Care 2013

This report is a compilation of health and social care costs in the UK for the year 2013, including an article and corresponding information on the costs of residential care for children.

Peeling Back the Layers - Kinship Care in Victoria, Australia

Baptcare, OzChild and Anchor - three organizations that provide kinship care services in Victoria, Australia - commissioned this research to explore the impact that complexity in care arrangements has on children and families in kinship care.

The Right of Boys and Girls to a Family. Alternative Care: Ending Institutionalization in the Americas (English Version)

This report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) analyzes children's right to live and be raised by their families, and establishes the resulting obligations for States when it comes to supporting and strengthening families' ability to raise and care for their children.