Violence Against Children and Care in Africa: A Discussion Paper

Better Care Network’s new discussion paper was developed following the Africa Expert Consultation on Violence against Children in All Care Settings and explores the interlinkages between VAC and children’s care in the African context.

The paper is divided into four main sections:

1. Background, including an overview of the evidence on VAC in the African region, regional and international frameworks related to prevention and response to VAC, and the provision of alternative care.
2. VAC in different care settings, including a discussion of VAC in the home as a push factor for family separation and removal of children into formal care, VAC in alternative care, and the different types of violence facing care-leavers.
3. Considerations for policies, programs, and other interventions to ensure a coordinated approach between the VAC and care sectors to address violence in all care settings, strengthen family care, prevent unnecessary family separation, and support family reintegration or placement in family based alternative care.
4. Key findings and recommendations, including how the existing evidence base, as well as identified gaps in data and research on VAC and care in Africa can be utilized to help inform critical and coordinated actions at the continental, regional and national levels through the legal and policy framework; service delivery, training and supporting all levels of the social service workforce; and increasing public awareness and engagement at levels in efforts to addressing both prevention and response of VAC within all forms of care.