The Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children were formally endorsed by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009, signalling that no country in the world had objections to their content, and they help embed the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child in alternative care provision, such as fostering, residential child care and kinship care.

 

The Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS), based at the University of Strathclyde, was commissioned to develop and publish an implementation handbook for the Guidelines by UNICEF and an international consortium of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Hundreds of professionals from within Governments, NGOs, UN agencies and academia fed into the drafting process, which includes practice from more than 70 countries.

Moving Forward was drafted by an international project team co-led by Nigel Cantwell, a Geneva-based, internationally recognised expert on child protection and a prime actor in the development of the guidelines, and CELCIS Director Jennifer Davidson.

A steering group provided overall guidance.

CELCIS aims to improve the lives of all children and young people living in and leaving alternative care through working closely with Governments, NGOs, practitioners and academics. Placing the rights and interests of children at the heart of its work, CELCIS delivers a wide range of services to facilitate change and improve policies, services and the skills of those working with children and families.

If you are interested in collaborating with CELCIS or in finding out more about our work please get in touch.

Email: celcis.international@strath.ac.uk