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CHILDREN IN CARE |
It is universally acknowledged that the family is the best place for
a child’s development and well-being. However, children sometimes
have to be entrusted to care institutions. A child can experience
this "placement" as traumatic, and it is important that the care
procedure respect the rights of the child concerned.
A child-friendly information booklet addressed to children and young
people in alternative care
Children and young
people in care – Discover your rights! was prepared in co-operation with SOS Children’s Villages International.
Through comics, stories and informative texts, children and young
people in care can learn about their rights, as set forth by the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,
the
Council of Europe
recommendation
Rec(2005)5
on the rights of
children living in residential institutions, and
United Nations
Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children and the
Quality4Children Standards for
Out-of-Home Child Care in Europe. They can also learn how to
exercise these rights and take on an active role in their own care
process, including ways to improve it.
A new publication
“Securing Children’s
rights – A guide for professionals working in alternative care” is also available.
This guide, also developed in collaboration with SOS Children’s
Villages International, complements the booklet “Discover your
rights” and provides guidance and tools for professionals that work
with children in care, promoting a child rights-based approach. This
guide is the outcome of a set of consultations in three countries
(Albania, Estonia and Croatia) with different stakeholders involved:
young people in care, professionals working with children in care,
representatives from UNICEF, representatives from governments,
academics and ombudspersons (see
SOS Children's Villages International's press release). Two key Council of Europe recommendations address the needs of children in care:
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The Council of Europe
Recommendation CM/Rec (2011)12 on children’s rights and social
services friendly to children and families offers a definition of child and family friendly
social services. It aims to guarantee that children receive social
services that are adapted to their needs and circumstances. It also
aims to ensure that the view of the child is always taken into
consideration.
- The Council of Europe
Recommendation
Rec(2005)5 on the rights of children living in residential
institutions
establishes overall guiding principles to be applied whenever a
child is placed outside the family, particularly in a residential
institution and underlines that every placement must ensure that the
child's human rights are fully respected. According to this
Recommendation, placements are justified only when the child is in
such danger that it is impossible for him or her to remain in the
family environment. Residential institutions - when necessary
through reforms – must assure children of the best possible
development and future; reintegrating children into family life is
also considered. English - French Recommendation on the rights of children living in residential institutions English - French - Czech - Estonian - Greek - Icelandic - Latvian - Lithuanian - Polish - Russian - Serbian English - French - Greek - Polish - Russian English- French - Bulgarian - Czech - Lithuanian - Romanian - Russian - Turkish - Ukrainian Booklet "Children and young people in care - Discover your rights!" English - French - Azeri - Bosnian - Bulgarian - Croatian - Czech - Estonian - Polish - Romanian - Russian- Ukrainian English - French - Armenian - Bosnian - Croatian - Czech - Russian - Ukrainian English - French - Armenian - Greek - Russian - Ukrainian And also: UN guidelines for the alternative care of children Better Care Network Events: File on Vilnius Conference "Keeping the door open – support to young people leaving care", Vilnius, 7-8 October 2009 |