The UN Guidelines for the Appropriate Use and Conditions of Alternative Care for Children
The draft UN Guidelinesfor the Appropriate Use and Conditions of Alternative Care for Children are intended to enhance the implementation of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child 1989, and other relevant provisions of international and regional human rights law, in matters of protection and well-being of children who are in need of alternative care, or who are at risk of so being. It therefore focuses on two main aspects: (1) ensure that children do not find themselves placed in alternative care unnecessarily; and (2) that, where out-of-home care is provided, it is provided in appropriate conditions and of a type that responds to the child’s rights, needs and best interests.
The Guidelines are reaching the final stages of their drafting and adoption process. This process was initiated three years ago, in 2005, when the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child – which is responsible for examining the States Parties’ implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – held a day of general discussion on children without parental care. Amongst the many recommendations set out in its final report, the Committee recommended the establishment of an expert meeting to prepare a set of international standards for the protection and alternative care of children without parental care for the UN General Assembly. As part of its recommendations, the Committee outlined the scope and objectives of these guidelines and standards.
Following this discussion day and its final recommendations, and following up on a previous joint UNICEF-ISS project also calling for such guidelines, both organizations initiated a consultation process and drafted a proposal of guidelines. This proposal was submitted for consultation to States and Governments in Brasilia in August 2006. As a result of this intergovernmental meeting, a ‘Group of Friends’ – which is led by the Government of Brazil, and brings together 15 other interested States, representing all regions of the world – was established to finalise the draft, which should be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly at the end of 2009.
ISS as the co-convenor of the NGO Working Group on Children without Parental Care continues to be a major actor in this advocacy process supporting the final adoption of the draft Guidelines.
For more information:
- Read the Draft UN Guidelines for the Appropriate Use and Conditions of Alternative Care for Children in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, RussianorArabic.
- Read ISS Special series of articles relating to the guidelines
-Visit the NGO group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child:
- Visit the Better Care Network website: