Kids At Risk Action tracks current international news about at risk children bringing transparency and attention to our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. This is only a sampling of what should be reported – most child trauma & abuse never gets reported.
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Pakistan – NA Panel Approves Child Protection, Juvenile Justice Bills.
The Express Tribune.
Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed two bills, Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill and Juvenile Justice System Bill, as part of its international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill creates a welfare fund and also more steps and protections for children in the child welfare system, such as reports and more assessments of a children’s family environment. The Juvenile Justice System Bill intendeds to reform the criminal justice system to ensure the legal protection of children and the social integration, inclusion and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1450403/na-panel-approves-child-protection-juvenile-justice-bills/
Syria – A Children’s Protection Crisis – Child Protection Programming’s Essential Role in Child Safety and Survival – Urgent Funding Alert.
Relief Web.
Of the $76 million USD humanitarian response aid requested, only $7 million has been received to help the hundreds of thousands of children in need of protection. Not only have schools and hospitals been destroyed in airstrikes, but children also face sexual violence, the worse forms of child labour, and arbitrary arrest, detention, and torture. Often children are separated from their families and become even more vulnerable to recruitment by parties to the conflict. It is clear that the rights and interests of children need to be protected in order to avoid serious long term impact.
Ghana – Child Protection Mist Become Urgent Priority – Dr. Oppong.
Ghana News Agency.
Children in Ghana face early marriages, forced labour, and neglect, despite protection mechanisms. The Executive Secretary of the Defence for Children International, an NGO, highlights the need to create a safe environment, educational opportunities, and adequate health care for children. Civil society leaders and organizations are called upon to raise awareness and help grow sustainable solutions.
http://www.ghananewsagency.org/social/child-protection-must-become-urgent-priority-dr-oppong-118399
Protection of Migrant and Refugee Children Must be at Core of New Global Compacts – UN Agency.
UN News Centre.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) works with the United Nations and its other agencies to ensure that policies surrounding child migration is consistent with children’s human rights and best interests. The IOM recognizes the vulnerability of children to be forgotten, exploited, or trafficked.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56960#.WWN3rHcZP-Y
India – Spreading Awareness About Child Rights.
The Hindu.
Child Fund India and several NGOs partner to spread awareness, about child marriages and malnutrition, through cultural folk songs and performances. In addition to the performances, radio shows are to play jingles that are also intended to spread awareness. Through a collaborative interagency approach, service providers, civil society and government agencies build a base of expertise that will enable the strengthening of children’s voices.
Tasmania – Child Protection: Tasmanian Premier Claims ‘No Evidence’ of Political Interference.
ABC News Australia.
Three former child protection staff makes allegations alleging the child protection department is more concerned with their image than the welfare of the children, as evidenced by the lack of transparency. Also, Public service staff who work on the front lines are unable to communicate their concerns. The Children’s Commissioner states that the matter will be investigated by the government. Concerns arise as the government is investigating themselves and the allegations of their own misconduct.
Child Protection Groups Warn of Young People Using New Snapchat Location Feature.
CityNews.
The new feature on Snapchat can precisely pinpoint the user’s location on a map. Watchdog groups are concerned that the location feature can now more easily lead predators to the children who they have befriended on the app. Groups warn users not to share their location with someone who is not already a friend.
Canada – First Nations Child Welfare agency Responds to Concerns After Death in Wapekeka First Nations.
CBC News.
Some children who have been under the care of Tikinagan Child and Family Services have been sent home and shortly after have died by suicide. When children are sent home there is suppose to be a safety plan implemented, however in the case of a 12-year-old and an 18-year-old, there was no such plan. Community members cite the lack of options for implementing specialized care to address the increasing needs of children at risk.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/tikinagan-child-welfare-1.4167793
India – Child Brides are on the Rise in India’s Towns and Cities: Report.
Reuters.
Despite associations with rural villages, child marriages is widely practiced in many parts of India, including urban cities. Girls age 10 to 14 are especially vulnerable. Although more research is needed to confirm why the rate of child marriage is increasing in urban cities, some factors are being cited as possible contributors among which include weak enforcement of laws, patriarchal societal norms, and poverty. Without knowledge of why this is happening progress in women’s development will regress.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-childmarriage-idUSKBN18T1DN
Uganda – Day of African Child and Refugee Children.
New Vision.
In light of the celebration of accelerating protection, empowerment, and equal opportunities for children, several issues remain regarding the well being of children. For example, children are kidnapped from their families and are trained and used as expendable lives in inciting violence and conflicts. Underaged girls are especially vulnerable not only because of their age, but also because of the fact they are girls; they face things such as forced marriages and sexual abuse. Years of war have prevented the implementation of systems to correct and prevent children’s suffering, but if no systems and services are introduced, the current effects will be experienced by several generations in the future.
Philippines – UN Experts Urge Government to Address Spiralling Rights Violations.
UN News Centre.
Special rapporteurs appeal for government action in stopping the persecution of indigenous peoples and children. Vulnerable groups, particularly children, are at risk for extra-legal arbitrary or summary executions, human rights violations, and sexual exploitation. Instead of protecting vulnerable and targeted groups, recently, the President threatened the bombing of several schools.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57279#.WZtXEHcZN-U
Sri Lanka – The Wounded Victims of Sri Lanka’s Child Marriage Law.
BBC News.
A 15-year-old girl was forced by her aunt and uncle to marry a stranger. During the marriage the girl was repeatedly beaten and harassed, and also had a miscarriage as a result of the violence she experienced at the hands of the man she was forced to marry. This story of a 15-year-old girl is sadly not the only story of a girl being forced to marry a stranger. Despite the legal age of marriage in Sri Lanka being 18, community law, called the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, does not prescribe a minimum age for marriage. Under this law elder male community leaders authorize marriages as they see fit.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39898589
U.K. – Ireland – New Tusla Child Protection Policy Needs Much Broader Examination, Committee Told.
The Irish Times.
A new model is to be implemented in social work and child protection where the focus is to be on strengthening family bonds and working with families and their children to keep them safe. A report conducted by an Australian expert highlighted several areas in need of improvement, including greater interagency co-operation, better worker trainer, more community based responses and more out-of hours social work. The expert also states that while the new model is welcomed, a timeline for it’s implementation should be established.
India – ‘India Fares Poorly in Protecting Childhood’.
The Times of India.
In Save the Children’s new report, India ranks 116 on the global index of places where childhood is most and least threatened. The index scores countries on factors such as child health, education, marriage, and violence. The report stated that India’s worst performance is related to the safeguarding of girls, as indicated by the number of girls married before 18 and the number of girl’s stunted growth and development caused by malnutrition. Save the Children acknowledges the efforts made by civil society, the government, and corporate parters, but expresses that there is much to been done to ensure that children do not lost their childhood.
War, Terror, Neglect: How Canadian Schools Could Tackle Child Trauma.
National Post.
Canada and other host countries need to become better at recognizing and treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other consequences experienced by refugee children who have seen and experienced war, trauma and maltreatment. Educators need to be prepared to know how to listen to, comfort and respondto children who they see suffering. These educators would not act as pseudo counsellors, often times teachers and students build relationships of trust and confidence that would enable children to approach someone for help or enable them to open up to someone. A model for trauma informed schools is proposed that included 15 steps to be conducted in three general stages.
India – Child Labour: The Inconvenient Truth Behind India’s Growth Story.
The Washington Post.
Despite efforts for reform deregulation and economic growth, sectors in which children tend to work have been overlooked or not positively impacted. In industries such as, for example agriculture, manufacturing, and domestic staffing, employers are not subjected to government inspections and children are not afforded legal protections or minimum wage requirements. This type of under the table work that is not regulated is highly vulnerable to exploitation and does not prepare children with essential skills for future long term development.
Cambodia – The Race to Rescue Cambodian Children from Orphanages Exploiting them for Profit.
The Guardian.
Children living in orphanages are beaten, raped, and starved so that visitors can pity them and donate more money. Often times the children are not orphans, but have families and living parents. Directors of institutions sees increased tourism and humanitarian work as business opportunities to to attract more donors. Money is then taken by the directors themselves rather than used to educate and support the children.
Cambodia – Education Leads to Decrease in Child Abuse.
Khmer Times.
Police chiefs support an education program aimed at decreasing child abuse. NGOs with the aid of local police and community members educate families about the dangers of child abuse and encourage others to report incidents when there is reason to believe a child is in danger. The education program also informs parents of the importance of keeping children in school rather than forcing them to engage in dangerous child labour.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5075393/education-leads-decrease-child-abuse/
St. Lucia – Press Release: OECS and UNICEF Partner to Launch Public Education Campaign on Child Abuse in Sports.
Children in sports clubs face verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, sexual, harassment, and trafficking, among many other incidents. Public awareness about such issues is low given the taboo nature of publicly discussing the presence of these issues in sports. The OECS-UNICEF campaign, with three specific goals, targets youth, parents, teachers and coaches to encourage them to identify incidents of abuse and aid victims in reporting incidents.
U.K. – Cambridge Teacher Glyn Knowles Jailed for Grindr Grooming.
BBC News.
Undercover journalist pose as a teenage boy and catch a head of the Cambridge International School engaging in sexual explicit conversations with the underaged online personality. The accused initially alleged that he intended to meet the boy to advise him on how to safely use the internet, but he later admitted to attempting to groom the the boy.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-40975672
Jamaica – New Software to Greatly Improve Monitoring of Children in Care.
Jamaican Observer.
A Canadian software development company developed the Child Case Management System that will facilitate realtime information sharing among agencies and improve child protection officer’s tracking of cases. With the high number of child abuse cases every month, the new information sharing and tracking system will improve efficiency and agencies’ ability to respond to as need be.
Kenya – Food Insecurity Poverty Force Kenyan Girls Into ‘Survival Sex’.
VOA News.
Rural communities in Kenya deal with the consequences of a prolonged drought. Girls with little to no education are forced into something called survival sex, where girls are forced into sex work in order to support their families with money or food. Often times the girls are not paid, have their money stolen, or are abused. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has made efforts to educate communities on safe sex practices and has also helped provide both clinical and psychological assistance. This problem Kenya faces is not new to the country, children have been trafficked into child prostitution and have been victims of child sex tourism and sexual exploitation for years. The prolonged droughts have intensified food insecurity and the need for humanitarian aid, aid, as indicated by IRC, that would support children and girls and provide them with safer opportunities to feed themselves and their families
https://www.voanews.com/a/food-insecurity-poverty-force-kenayn-girls-in-survidal-sex/3994855.html
DR Congo – UN Rights Chief Names International Investigators on Kasai Abuses.
UN News Centre.
The UN human rights chief named a three member team of international experts who will investigate reports of recruiting and using child soldiers, sexual and gender based violence, destruction of houses, schools, places of worship, and state infrastructure by local militias. Violence began in the areas with the killing of a chief of the FARDC, the armed forced of DRC. The need for a UN investigation was aggravated by the discovery of 42 mass graves.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57253#.WZw_J3cZN-U
Nepal – Not Just a Social Problem, but an Economic One.
Nepal Times.
A report conducted by the World Bank and the International Centre for Research on Women states that early child marriage will cost developing countries trillions of dollars by 2030. In Nepal child marriage varies among economic class, religious groups, and geographic region, but is most prevalent among marginalized and lower caste communities. Legislation and policies regarding child marriage has little effect in ending child marriage in Nepal as implementation and enforcement is lacking.
http://nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/ending-child-marriage-in-Nepal,3864
Canada – Teen who Died in Algonquin Park During TDSB Canoe Trip Didn’t Pass Swim Test.
CBC News.
A 15 year old boy drowned while swimming unsupervised on a school canoeing trip to a national park. TDSB requires students to pass a swim test for them to be allowed to go on trips that would involve swimming. On this trip to Algonquin park 15 of the 30 students who went on the trip failed the swim test. After the event the Toronto District School Board stated that new measures will be put in place. The teacher supervisors on the trip have been put on home assignment.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jeremiah-perry-tdsb-algonquin-park-1.4249678
YouTube Child Protection Mechanism ‘Failing’.
BBC News.
YouTube faces a backlog of reports alleging videos and comments have potentially violated guidelines. Included are sexually explicit comments on the videos of young teenagers and children. The number of such comments have sparked rumours of pedophile rings operating and grooming children through YouTube. The volunteers who help identify and respond to flagged videos and comments, called Trusted Flaggers, warns that the of lack of response illustrates that there is really no reliable way for parents or a child in danger to report and get action on worrisome content.
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-40808177
Pakistan – Juvenile Justice System in Pakistan.
Daily Times.
While Pakistan has long been apart of various international human rights treaties, Pakistan’s implementation and enforcement for their own Child Protection bill and Juvenile Justice act has been lacking. The legislation deals with the prosecution of underaged kids and ensuring their rights are not violate during the process. Issues still remains surrounding prosecuting children separately from adults, a child access to legal aid, detention conditions and assisting children as victims of crimes.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/22-Aug-17/juvenile-justice-system-in-pakistan
Jamaica – Lavern Deer Fighting Child Sex Abuse with All her Might.
Jamaica Observer.
The Female Development World Organization works with local partners in Jamaica and also with international communities to prevent child abuse and to also provide support to help heal and empower victims. After personal experience with sexual abuse, Deer created the non-profit organization to expand awareness about child sexual abuse and to fight against societal norms and attitudes towards abuse. The wholistic approach intendeds to help the underserved female population, victims usually age 11 to 17, trough education, health, and athletic support programs.
South Sudan – Amnesty Report Cites Sexual Violence on ‘Massive Scale’ in South Sudan, Including in Refugee Camps.
Japan Times.
South Sudanese individuals in Uganda’s refugee camps are experiencing horrific incidents of sexual violence in a place where they are suppose to be safe after fleeing civil war. Many victims do not seek psychological or any kind of help because often times if a victim reports the incident to their families they are shunned, shamed, or degraded. An open discussion about abuse, sexual violence, and rape is discouraged and leads to subsequent attacks that are again ignored.
Canada – Ontario First Nations Ink Education Deal with Ottawa, Believed to be Largest in Canada.
Global News.
The federal government of Canada has reached an agreement with 23 Ontario First Nations for more administrative control of funding for post-secondary education. The deal represents the First Nations’ long battle to educate their own children and have more independence through self-governance. While the agreement is part of the federal government’s promise to commit to meaningful reconciliation, the deal must still be crafted and passed as federal legislation; also a date of enforcement must be agreed upon.
http://globalnews.ca/news/3674520/ontario-first-nations-education-deal/
Canada – ‘This is What Reconciliation Looks Like’: Northern First Nations Regain Control of Child Welfare Services.
CBC News.
Manitoba First Nations and the Manitoba provincial government have signed an agreement that resulted in a new administrative appointment to the Child and Family Services Authority Board after problems with the poor performance of the Board’s child welfare tracking system. Also part of the agreement was a new alternative dispute resolution mechanism that is intended to avoid repetition of administrative orders that were not successful, constructive, or cooperative.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/northern-first-nations-child-welfare-agency-1.4226408
Trinidad and Tobago – Lewis: Child Abuse in Sport Must be Addressed.
The chairman of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees warned against the sexualization of sport for commercial purposes as he argues it empowers and enables pedopiles. The Chairman argues that there is a need for more checks and balances that specifically addresses protecting children and youth from sexual, mental, emotional and physical abuse. Also, he argues for more gender diversity and empowering victims to come forward and reporting their cases. The position taken by the Chairman is a brave one given the environment of the sports industry and societal norms.
http://newsday.co.tt/sport/0,247172.html
Philippines – Duterte Threatens to Bomb Indigenous Schools.
The Guardian.
The Philippines president threatens bombs, air forces and armed forces on tribals schools for teaching children to rebel against the government. Such actions and threats of such actions are considered war crimes and are prohibited unless the schools are being used for military purposes. These threats come after government forces were attacked by communist rebel groups. The president further argues for the abolishment of the independence of the Commission on Human Rights; the president demands that requests, by the ombudsman of the Commission, to investigate the police and military must go through him and meet certain conditions to be approved.
Canada – ‘An Important Step’: TDSB Suspends Program that Put Armed Officers in Schools.
CBC News.
The School Resource Officers (SRO) program has been suspended in Toronto schools until at least November. The SRO program has been criticized for causing anxiety and stress for undocumented students. Activist groups have supported scrapping the program as they argue it would be a step towards addressing anti-black racism in the education system.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/school-resource-officer-program-shelved-1.4269698
Democratic Republic of Congo – Government Must Deliver on Pledge to End Child Mining Labour by 2025.
Amnesty International.
While the government’s announcement of it’s new strategy to eliminate child labour is a significant step, substantial and effective implementation in the coming years will be key. Amnesty International reports that more than half of the world’s cobalt, a component in Lithium-Ion batteries, is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo; while it is not known how many children work mining cobalt, Amnesty reports that children are are indeed employed in artisanal cobalt mines.
Ivory Coast – Bittersweet Toil: How $2-a-day Child Labour Supplies you Favourite Chocolate Bars.
Mirror.
Children as young as 10-years-old are working on cocoa plantation for less than $2 a day, while some are not paid at all. Parents often have to make the tough choice of sending their children to work rather than to attend school. Unicef’s Ivory Coast Chief of Child Protection states that the root cause of child labour and child exploitation is poverty. Children are sent by their parents from neighbouring villages or even countries to work on cocoa plantations for several reasons, including to help support their family. The conditions in which their work and the amount their are paid raises concerns over the well being of vulnerable children.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/bittersweet-toil-how-2-day-10760532
Canada – Our Society is Broken’: What can Stop Canada’s First Nations Suicide Epidemic?
The Guardian.
Indigenous communities declare a state of emergency after a series of deaths. The rates of suicides are alarmingly high among Indigenous youths and children. These deaths have been ignored by the government as evidenced by Indigenous communities’ lack of adequate housing, electricity, clean water, proper health care or education. The plight of Indigenous communities has also been overlooked by the media. Social, economic, cultural, and political prejudice all lead to members of Indigenous communities feeling hopeless about their futures.
Ghana – Traditional and Religious Leaders Pledge to End Child Marriage.
Ghana News agency.
Inter-faith religious leaders as well as community leaders have pledged their commitment to ending child marriage. The initiative is aimed at the socio-cultural practices that perpetuate and promote child marriage. One way in which this is accomplished is through educating youth groups and parents about the negative consequences of child marriage. Religious and traditional leaders have a platform that can be used to ensure the educational message reaches a wide audience.
India – ‘Too Difficult’ to Stop: Child Labour is the Inconvenient Truth Behind India’s Growth Story.
National Post.
UNICEF’s India Child Protection Chief states that people have dropped the ball on eradicating child labour despite efforts to enrol more children in school. Deregulation of the economy and focus on economic growth has made child labour a forgotten issue. As a result of rerouted economic growth plans, child labour is concentrated in industries such as agriculture, factory work, and domestic work, industries all which have little to no regulation on working conditions or minimum wage. UNICEF reports that child labour in facts impedes long term development and the quality of the future work force. Improvement in child labour is a difficult task and will take a incessantly long time to get rid of if changes are not made now.
Costa Rica Star – Hotel RIU Costa Rica Part of Global Effort Against Child Sexual Exploitation.
The Costa Rica Star.
An all inclusive hotel in Costa Rica reaffirms it’s commitment to a non-governmental organization ECPAT (End Child prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes. The hotel holds workshops and conferences for employees in their hotel chains across the world to raise awareness and discuss measures to combat sexual exploitation of children in the hotel industry. The training has been reached countries such as Aruba, Jamaica, and Costa Rica.
Yemen – UN Must Respond as Five Children Killed in Night of Horror.
Amnesty International.
Eyewitnesses recount the horrors of several air strikes that killed five children and seriously injured three other civilians. It is reported that the coalition group that conducted the air strike was recently removed from the UN’s list of violators of children’s rights in conflict.
Gambia – Child Protection Specialist Calls for Stiffer Punishment for Child Abusers.
All Africa.
A Child Protection Specialist for Save the Children International stated The Gambia government has made progress in safeguarding children by creating a legal framework that addresses the protection of children, however; the strength of the laws in it’s enforcement through punishment and accountability is weak. The Specialist argues that communities need to be aware that child abuse is an abuse of that child’s right to protection and safety. A training program funded by Save the Children will educate staff and civil society on what is children abuse and what they can do when it occurs.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201708231083.html
South Sudan – Child Marriage Increasing in Civil War-Torn South Sudan.
The Philadelphia Tribune.
Child marriage is a common practice in many regions of South Sudan where young girls are forced to marry someone more than twice their age and are often traded for cattle. Once married they experience sexual violence, something which society normalizes and neglects to realize that it has long lasting negative consequences for both the young girl and society as a whole. The government’s disregard and unresponsiveness for the well being of young girls is illustrated by legislation which does not strictly protect children from early marriage.
India – Head of Indian Medical College and His Wife Charged in Oxygen Shortage.
New York Times.
After the death of 386 children at a hospital, the chief doctor faces charges of culpable homicide. News emerged that the hospital failed to pay it’s bills to oxygen supplier and as a result the hospital’s oxygen supply declined. Government officials stated that the oxygen supply was only absent for two hours and that it was not a factor in the deaths of the children, however; doctors at the hospital state that some of the children probably died from the oxygen shortage and that such a large number of deaths at the hospital is not unusual.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/world/asia/indian-hospital-oxygen-arrest.html
U.K. – Families Left Devastated by False Claims of FGM in Girls.
BBC News.
U.K. authorities are criticized for not properly handling cases of alleged female genital mutilation. Children were separated from their families for months pending medical examinations, only to have the results be negative. While false allegations of FGM are being made, there are still thousands of young girls who have experienced some form of female genital mutilation and authorities have taken no steps to ensure justice for those affected or prevent the spread of the practice.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41150621
East Africa – Millions of Children Miss School Due to War and Drought in East Africa.
Relief Web.
War and drought threaten to create a lost generation of children in several East African countries. Displaced children are missing out on an education as they spend months and years in cramped and overfilled refugee camps. Emergency funding is sought to build and set up schools so that children have a safe space to go to every day and develop their education and skills. Attending school not only benefits the children, by keeping children from joining armed forced, but also has long term benefits for the the development of a country.
Ghana – Highlight the Concerns of Children, World Vision Urges the Media.
Ghana News Agency.
Issues such as child marriage, teen pregnancy and child trafficking, are reported to be hardly covered in the news. The National Director of World Vision International Ghana urges the media to make children part of the headlines, as children need someone to help protect them and give them a voice. It is argued that it is the responsibility of the media to speak for children.
Myanmar – Former Child Soldier Punished for Speaking Out.
Frontier Myanmar.
The government is questioned on it’s commitment to ending the use of child soldiers after a former children solider faces up to two years in prison for allegedly speaking out about his experience. The lack of transparency raises fears that those who recruit underage children will face little to no prosecution. It is feared that instead the military will exert pressure on the courts to further silence those who try to speak out. Without complete transparency is difficult to know the actual number of children used as soldiers; subsequently, the extent or the vastness of the problem may be understated.
https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/former-child-soldier-punished-for-speaking-out
Progress Achieved to Protect Children in Past 20 Years Threatened by Ongoing Crises .
Relief Web.
Lasting wars and complex conflicts are cited by the Special Representative, of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, as what could reverse the positive gains that resulted from UN engagement with governments and armed groups. Increased attacks on schools and protected persons poses a new problem of threatening the security and well-being of a whole generation of children. Additionally, the issue denying humanitarian aid access by armed groups deprives those in need from life saving medicine, food, water, and other additional necessary aid. While action plans have been deliberated, government and aid groups’ efforts to implement such plans have been hampered by these entrenched conflicts and wars.
Rwanda – Police Step Up Campaign Against School Dropout, Child Labour.
All Africa.
With children dropping out of some primary schools, local authority urge parents and communities to send their children to school. The campaign started by the police remind parents that education is the right of a child, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the child stays in school. The district community liaison officer stated that from their research it was found that because of the negligence of parents, children are dropping out of school and engaging in child labour-like activities.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201709040567.html
India – How Can We Keep Our Children Safe?
The Indian Express.
After the second death of a student within a year, a school is questioned about the level of safety it provides and the role of the government in ensuring safety standards are met. The role of the internet and student’s access to damaging and offensive connect is also questioned. It is argued that parents need to take active steps towards educating children on being safe on and off the internet.
India – US Pushes India to Sign Hague Convention on Child Abduction.
Economic Times.
The United States urges India to sin the Hague Convention to protect against international parental child abduction, which may occur following the break-up of a marriage or when one parent takes a child away for their habitual residence without the consent of the other parent. The process of amending Indian’s law proves to a challenge and hinderance to quickly adopting the Convention.
Caribbean – Hurricane Irma: UNICEF Appeals for International Help for Caribbean Islands.
The Guardian.
Several Caribbean Islands are dealing with the aftermath and destruction that followed hurricane Irma. Because some of the islands are controlled by the governments of the United Kingdom, France, the US and the Netherlands, many other international governments have been slow in providing additional funds for regular programs and relief efforts. Particular attention has been directed towards women, children and rebuilding shelter.
Myanmar/Bangladesh – Rohingya Crisis Response Needs to be Scaled up Urgently as Desperation Grows in Bangladesh.
Save the Children.
Save the Children is calling on the international community to raise a $77 million emergency fund to help the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled to Bangladesh. It has stated that children are at a risk of exploitation, abuse, and even trafficking because many of them are unaccompanied or separated from their families. Save the Children acknowledges the aid provided by the government of Bangladesh and local communities, but because of the scale of the crisis requires that much more urgent help is needed. While funding is need to help the urgent situation in Bangladesh, Save the Children is calling for an end to the violence in the norther Rakhine State of Myanmar.
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=9506653&ct=15004507
Yemen – US-made bomb kills and maims children in deadly strike on residential homes.
Amnesty.
Amnesty International.
A bomb with clear markings of a US-made bomb killed and injured several children after destroying a residential building. The attack was carried out by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition who stated that the attack had a legitimate military objective and that any attack on civilians were due to technical error. According to international humanitarian law, any such attack, even with military objectives, would have been prohibited. Amnesty International is calling for a ban of the sale of weapons to parties in the conflict so that no one is supplied with weapons, munitions, military equipment and technology that could aid in another attack.
India – International ‘child bride’ racket busted in Hyderabad, 8 sheikhs arrested.
Times Now News.
20 people were arrested in connection to an international child bride racket that produced faked marriage certificates and rubber stamped documents that would allow minors to be flown out of the country. Police are said to have begun their investigation into the illegal marriages off of a tip of a 16-year-old girl who had been contacted by men for marriage.
India – Ryan school murder: Accused Ashok showed CBI how her killed Pradyuman Thakur, sources say.
India Today.
The Central Bureau of Investigation went to the Ryan International School to further investigate the death of a student. The bus conductor and gardener of the school is named as the alleged murdered. The accused laid out how he allegedly killed the victim and escaped. A Special Investigation Team uncovered several lapses in security measures of the school.
Mexico – That Mexican school that collapsed? It was a brittle concrete building – a type known to be vulnerable in earth quakes.
Los Angeles Times.
Building standards of schools are questioned after Mexico’s recent deadly earthquake. The school was built with concrete and did not have enough steel reinforcing bars (rebar) that would help prevent the crumbling of the structure. A structural engineer and vice president of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute explained why the structure of the school broke that way it did. After the 1971 earthquake in Mexico, stricter building codes were created so that buildings would have more steel inside concrete columns. Questions remain as to wether these codes were strictly enforced.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-fg-mexico-earthquake-school-concrete-20170922-htmlstory.html
Myanmar – UNICEF emergency supplies for Rohingya refugee children arrive in Bangladesh.
UNICEF.
Emergency supplies arrived from Copenhagen in Bangladesh. Included are water, purifying tablets, hygiene kits, recreational kits for children and other items. UNICEF recognizes the importance of clean drinking water to prevent against diarrhea and other waterborne diseases.
https://www.unicef.org/media/media_100936.html
Democratic Republic of Congo – UN peacekeepers in Congo hold record for rape, sex abuse.
ABC News.
UN peacekeepers world wide have been sexually abusing and exploiting children in refugee camps. More than 700 complaints have been made against UN peacekeepers in the Congo alone. The United Nations has failed to meet it’s promises on tackling this issues as complaints disappear or are not addressed. If the complaint is passed onto the perpetrator’s home country, the perpetrator often times does not face prosecution. Also, after a complaint is received there is little to no follow up on the victim to ensure their safety or well being.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/peacekeepers-congo-hold-record-rape-sex-abuse-50042620
Protecting children in armed conflict: voices from the field.
Relief Web.
Children have and continue to be victims of violence and human rights violations. Children face arbitrary detention, little protection against violence, and violent attacks on their homes and schools. Several action plans have been created by countries and organizations and these plans have resulted in the release of children detained in prisons and detention centres, for example; however, the reality of the matter is that there is much more than needs to and can be done to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
Myanmar – ‘Heavily traumatized’ Rohingya children go from terror in Myanmar to refugee camps chaos.
CBC News.
Children of the Rohingya people escaping Myanmar for Bangladesh have seen family members killed and their homes set on fire. When they reach the refugee camps in Bangladesh they are confronted by the tens of thousands of people living in a space that is arguably uninhabitable. Children often have no choice but to leave the camps beg for food as necessities are scarce. Children and babies also suffer from water born diseases. Members of Doctors without Boarders are worried that with the large amount of children and small number of caretakers, children are extremely vulnerable to trafficking, servitude, sexual abuse, and getting separated from their families. The mental and physical well being of children is multifaceted and should be a high priority of aid agencies.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/rohingya-child-refugees-trauma-bangladesh-1.4302243
Canada – Online recordings add to trauma of child sexual abuse, victims tell child protection centre.
CBC News.
A survey shows that child abuse victims are constantly living with a fear that they will be recognized by someone who has seen images or recordings that have circulated online of their abuse. As such, it is difficult for victims to get closure or to try to move past the memories of what occurred. It is argued that society needs to change it’s expectation that child victims of sexual abuse will come forward, rather teachers, police, and workers within the heath care system needs to be better trained to spot signs of child sexual abuse.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/child-sexual-abuse-survey-1.4307234
Australia – Aboriginal parents feel “an overwhelming sense of powerlessness” in struggles with child protection system.
BuzzFeed News.
Indigenous children are being removed from their homes at a higher rate than non-Indigenous children. Force removal policies have allowed child care workers to remove Aboriginal children from their homes, citing neglect as the reason for removal. It is stated that majority of the child care workers are non-Aboriginal workers who not aware of Aboriginal parenting norms and who take common cultural parenting practices as neglect. Families and parents face little support and have no avenues to express their experiences with the policies that have a major impact their family and their children.
Nigeria – A child protection and education needs assessment: In select communities of Borno and Adamawa State.
Relief Web.
A needs assessment was conducted by Plan International Nigeria to better understand how humanitarian and government actors can respond to needs and to provide evidence for humanitarian aid and program development. while needs are geographically based, it was found that in many regions children are not represented or protected in legislation. For example, in some regions the age of criminal responsibility can be as young as seven years old. Also, it was found that unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among children in Nigeria. These, along with other findings, have resulted in children being vulnerable and at an increased risk for various forms of violence.
Canada – Children stuck in schools with no a/c as heat hits Ontario, Quebec.
CTV News.
Because of unusually high temperatures, for early fall, heat warnings were issues all across southern Ontario and into Quebec. The unbearably high temperatures posed safety risks for children who were stuck in a/c-less school portables. Some students stated it was hard to breath before they were moved into the air-conditioned school building. These recent incidents bring up questions on the state of school repairs and the school board’s prioritization in providing funding for necessary repairs.
Iran – Afghan children recruited to fight in Syria.
Human Rights Watch.
Despite international law prohibiting the recruitment and use of children in hostile and dangerous situations, an Iranian military group has been recruiting Afghan immigrant children to fight in Syria. Human Rights Watch has documented at least eight Afghan children, who fought and died in Syria, from photographs of tombstones in Iranian cemeteries where combatants are buried. Families of the deceased report that the birth date printed on the tombstone is incorrect and that their children lied about their age to join the forces easier. Joining the forces is appealing as the children are promised permits, papers, and a faster path to citizenship for themselves and their families.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/01/iran-afghan-children-recruited-fight-syria
China – Family rooms for Hong Kong’s sick children planned near new hospital.
South China Morning Post.
Plans are in works to build a second sit of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which would provide housing for 66 families whose children need to undergo longterm treatment for illnesses such as heart disease and cancer in a near by hospital. This residency would allow parents to stay with their children for longer while they are getting treatment and also cut parent’s travel time for those who have to make long and frequent trips to the hospital. Officials from the Ronald McDonald House Charities has stated that they are encouraged by the support they are receiving from the city, but a date for completion has not been set.
Lebanon – Syrian children in Lebanon work to feed their families.
Voice of America.
Syrian refugee families rely on their children to work and bring home anything that could help as humanitarian aid begins to run out. NGOs have been working to get refugee children into the local education system, but families need their children to work so that the family can afford living fess the Lebanese government charges and also to buy basic necessities such as food. Also, the government places restrictions on what jobs refugees can take, jobs in which the parents alone cannot support the family.
U.K. – At least 18 children died in Grenfell Tower fire, inquests reveal.
The Guardian.
Since the fire several of children were listed as missing, but recently more victims of the Grenfell Tower fire have been identified, which included siblings and children under the age of 10.
Bangladesh to set up separate shelters for 6, 000 Rohingya children from Burma.
The Star.
A senior official at Bangladesh’s ministry states that there is land available to build shelters for children who were separated from their parents and families while travelling. The shelters are meant to protect children who are vulnerable to abuse and violence in ordinary refugee camps and shelters. While it is recognized that long term solutions to issues are needed, the current focus of the government is to provide a fast and substantial increase of support to meet the urgent needs of the influx of people.
Canada – Too much screen time could harm children’s eyesight, specialists warn.
CBC News.
Some eye care health professionals warn of the dangers that long screen time can bring for children. Near-sightedness, myopia, dry eyes, and blurry vision are among some of the conditions that long exposure to electronic screens may cause. Not all researchers and professionals agree on the correlation between eye health and screen time, rather, some believe that time spent in front of screens takes away from much needed time spent outdoors. One thing that is agreed upon is that frequent use of electronic devices can cause sleep disruption in children.
Egypt – School in Egypt struggles to help African refugee children.
Voice of America News.
While schools for refugee children provide a safe space to learn, grow and heal, many Egyptian government schools are overcrowded. Also, schools and teachers face the hurdle of getting refugee children to be open and willing to go to school after facing traumatic experiences in their home countries. As refugee families struggle to earn money, often times these schools are children’s only access to food and education.
Canada – Kelowna mother says tight rental market hampers fight to regain custody of kids.
CBC News.
One of the requirements of regaining custody of their children is that parents must obtain suitable housing, but the rental housing market makes this near impossible. Waiting lists for rental units far exceed the number of spaces available. Parents also stated that they face difficulties when landlords learn that they are either single parents with children or lear of the size of their family.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rent-control-and-big-families-1.4316631
Mattel’s smart gadget for children’s bedrooms had privacy advocates alarmed.
The Star.
A new device with a speaker, camera and lights will collect data and respond to a baby’s or child’s needs while also sending the data to a corresponding phone app. Makers of the new device state that no third party will have access to personal information. Advocacy groups and parents alike are concerned with the extent to which technology, electronics and surveillance and data gathering devices can and will violate the safety and privacy of children.
India/Pakistan – 2 Children killed in cross-border fire in Kashmir.
Voice of America News.
Ceasefire agreements have allegedly been breached by Indian forces after Pakistani and Indian troops exchange gunfire in the disputed area of Kashmir.
https://www.voanews.com/a/two-children-killed-in-cross-border-fire-in-kashmir/4052972.html
Bangladesh: UNICEF scaling up its emergency response in Bangladesh (Press release)
UNICEF – August 31, 2017
UNICEF with partners are scaling up the emergency response in the flood-affected northern and central parts of Bangladesh. UNICEF is also providing urgent support in Cox’s Bazar district with the recent influx of Rohingya children and their families. Children are the hardest hit and require the support to survive and outlive the physical and mental trauma of flood and displacement.
https://www.unicef.org/media/media_100718.html
United Kingdom: Health prospects of children in care look worse than for anyone else
Medical Xpress – August 31, 2017
Nearly 95,000 British youngsters live in such arrangements, which is not far off one in 100. We know that their life chances are not as good as they should be. In the words of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children: “As a result of their experiences both before and during care, looked after children are at greater risk than their peers.”
Also: Study: Inequalities in the dental health needs and access to dental services among looked after children in Scotland: a population data linkage study: http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2017/08/18/archdischild-2016-312389
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-health-prospects-children-worse.html
Afghanistan: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Violence and Harmful Practices Against Children in Afghanistan: A baseline study
Save the Children (SCI) – September 01, 2017
Since 2012, Save the Children (SCI) has been working with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) on a Holistic Child Protection Programme in Afghanistan. A key component of the program has focused on child protection systems strengthening, in coordination with the Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSAMD). The overall objective of the present initiative is to strengthen child protection prevention initiatives and quality access to child protection response services to reduce instances of violence, exploitation, and neglect of children.
Australia: ‘How can this happen?’: Kids living in squalor despite supervision of SA child protection
ABC News Australia – September 04, 2017
An Adelaide magistrate has questioned how children under the supervision of South Australia’s Department for Child Protection were left to live in squalor with their father. The father was sentenced in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court over the “rancid” and “putrid” living conditions at his Housing Trust home where his children stayed.
Australia: Survey finds adults are unaware of child abuse signs or how to report it
Bendigo Advertiser – September 03, 2017
A study has found one third of Australians surveyed would not immediately tell someone if they thought a child was being abused or neglected.
Australia: Editorial: Adoption ban on overweight parents discriminatory
Courier-Mail – September 02, 2017
Our story today on how some Australians are being denied the opportunity to adopt children because they are too fat is not only disturbing but discriminatory. There’s even a case study of a 25-year-old woman who was told she could not adopt because her BMI was too high, despite having run three triathlons in the year prior and regularly attending the gym.
Canada: More supports for women needed to combat human trafficking
Regina Leader-Post – August 31, 2017
The consensus reached at this month’s Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting is that more resources are needed to help women and underage girls who are the victims of human trafficking in Regina and across the province. With the introduction of Bill C-36 in 2015, Regina police have shifted their efforts to targeting the men seeking the services of sex workers, rather than the women themselves.
http://leaderpost.com/storyline/more-supports-for-women-needed-to-combat-human-trafficking
India: SC directs disaster management body to constitute child protection cell
Business Standard – September 05, 2017
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to constitute a ‘child protection cell’ for the child disaster victims.
Australia: Victoria Police launches new podcast to tackle sexual crime
ABC News Australia – September 04, 2017
Victoria Police has launched a new podcast about sexual violence, aiming to convince more victims to report their assault. The six-part series, called Unspeakable: Understanding Sexual Crime, is part of National Child Protection Week and tells true stories, featuring interviews with investigators, victims and their families.
Canada: ‘Positive step forward’: McGill pilots new bursary program for students coming from foster care
CBC News – September 04, 2017
Khan went on to help the university develop a new pilot project called the “Youth in Care Bursary,” which offers a minimum $5,000 bursary to students coming from the child welfare system for up to four years. “Anyone in Canada can apply,” she explained. “I think this is a really positive step forward.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/mcgill-foster-care-bursary-new-1.4274502
Canada: ‘Our society is broken’: what can stop Canada’s First Nations suicide epidemic? (Opinion)
Guardian (UK) – August 30, 2017
Many regard the suicide epidemic as a symptom of a much bigger and deeper-rooted issue: Canada’s systemic, long-standing neglect of its indigenous people. This is encapsulated in the ongoing impact of the country’s residential school system, which saw more than 150,000 indigenous children taken from their homes in an attempt to forcibly assimilate them into Canadian society.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Education of girls in Ituri against the weight of tradition (opinion)
Ponabana – September 04, 2017
In the Ituri province, every territory has its own reality. In this territory, many children are exploited in the fields and particularly in coffee bean plantations. The majority of girls start their studies, but after getting their Primary School Certificate, it is rare for them to go to secondary school and obtain their State Diploma. They face the phenomenon of child marriage.
http://ponabana.com/en/girls-education-ituri-tradition/
Sweden: First same-sex overseas adoption takes place in Sweden
Local Sweden – September 05, 2017
Sweden changed its legislation to allow for same-sex adoption 14 years ago, but international adoptions have long been as good as impossible because of many other countries’ more restrictive rules. But one couple have now adopted a child in Colombia, which recently changed its own rules. The two fathers were approved a year ago, and the whole process has now been carried out, reports SVT.
https://www.thelocal.se/20170905/first-international-same-sex-adoption-takes-place-in-sweden
United Kingdom: Child neglect ‘plaguing’ North Somerset as NSPCC reports ‘worrying’ rise
Weston Mercury – September 04, 2017
New figures released by the NSPCC show the children’s charity has had to deal with more cases than ever before in North Somerset, with at least one report emanating from the district every week. The charity refers five cases of child neglect to police and social services in the area every month, with 59 cases reported in the past year. This represents a five-percent increase on last-year.
Japan: No Place for Single Mothers
Atlantic – September 07, 2017
There is no such thing, legally, as joint custody in Japan, and women there tend to be the ones financially responsible for their children. Women usually work part-time or low-paying jobs because they had previously dropped out of the workforce to raise their children, and find it hard to get hired into well-paying, full-time jobs. And because of safety-net reforms developed over the past two decades, they can depend on little help from the state.
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/09/japan-is-no-place-for-single-mothers/538743/
Canada: Supporting indigenous communities with analytics: Using big data to drive insight and better outcomes for indigenous women and girls (Press release)
Insights (SAS Canada) – September 07, 2017
SAS joined the Vulnerable Persons Project to help the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) develop an analytical approach to help identify those at the most risk. “This project is a perfect fit for SAS, a proud participant in the Data for Good movement,” said Cameron Dow, President, SAS Canada. “Using data to improve outcomes for at-risk indigenous women and children is truly a data for good story that SAS is honored to be a part of.”
Canada: ‘Children under 10 too young to take bus to school alone’
BBC News – September 06, 2017
In a post on his blog “5 Kids 1 Condo”, he wrote that he wanted to “raise capable, independent humans”. But the Ministry of Children and Family Development said it is illegal for children under 10 to be unsupervised. Mr Crook, who writes about parenting and urban living, said he wanted to teach his children that it is possible to rely on public transport instead of a car.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41178021
International: More than 10 million children live in countries threatened by Hurricane Irma (Press relase)
UNICEF Canada – September 07, 2017
More than 10.5 million children live in the countries that are likely to be exposed to the damage from Hurricane Irma, UNICEF warned today. Based on the storm’s current trajectory, children in the islands of the Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are at risk, including over three million under five years old. UNICEF is concerned that hundreds of thousands of children could suffer the worst effects of the storm, with those living in coastal zones at highest risk.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Displaced children tell stories of suffering in DRC’s Kasai
UN High Commissioner for Refugees – September 08, 2017
12-year-old Felix* sits in silence, staring around the compound where he is staying. He and four other children were taken in by foster parents after they escaped the conflict in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Greece: ‘Robust action’ required to assist growing number of refugees on Greek islands – UN
UN News Centre – September 08, 2017
The United Nations refugee agency today urged “robust action” to improve conditions on Greece’s eastern Aegean islands, where the number of new refugee arrivals increased last month. “In August, there have been 3,695 sea arrivals compared to 2,249 in July,” said Cécile Pouilly, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at a press briefing in Geneva.
Also: Situation Update: Unaccompanied Children (UAC) in Greece: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/58979
Also: Overcrowding of Refugee Sites on Greek Islands Causing Distress: https://www.voanews.com/a/greek-islands-refugee-overcrowding/4021821.html
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57482#.WbR4dsaQyM8
International: UNICEF East Caribbean Humanitarian Situation Report, 8 September 2017
Relief Web – September 08, 2017
Based on the storm’s current trajectory, children in the islands of the Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are at risk, including over three million under five years old. UNICEF is concerned that hundreds of thousands of children could suffer the worst effects of the storm, with those living in coastal zones at highest risk.
United Kingdom: New figures show that cases of child neglect are up by 49 per cent across Hampshire
Basingstoke Gazette – September 10, 2017
New figures show that last year the NSPCC referred 297 cases of neglect in Hampshire to the police and children’s services in the county following reports of suspected child neglect. This is an increase of increase of 49 per cent – compared to 199 referrals in 2011/12 – over five years, the charity’s latest figures revealed.
http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/15524889._Child_neglect__on_the_rise/?ref=rss
United Kingdom: The Government’s Not Sure If Child Refugees Will Be Reunited With Their Families After Brexit
BuzzFeed News – September 07, 2017
The government has refused to confirm that unaccompanied child refugees will continue to be reunited with extended family members in the UK after Brexit – raising fears that many will be stranded overseas and left at risk of trafficking and abuse.
Australia: Community eyes and ears key in fight against child sexual assault (Includes video)
Border Mail – September 08, 2017
Albury council’s youth development officer Mandy Wilson said this year had seen more support agencies come on board, with 700 white balloons displayed along Dean Street businesses. “Council has been involved the past seven years and we want to send a clear message its not okay to sexually abuse kids, and that kids should feel protected,” she said.
Bangladesh: Rohingya crisis response needs to be scaled up urgently as desperation grows in Bangladesh: Save the Children
International Save the Children Alliance – September 11, 2017
Save the Children is calling on the international community to fully fund a US$77 million emergency appeal to help the newly arrived Rohingya in southern Bangladesh. Almost 300,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in the past two and a half weeks following a rapid and alarming escalation of violence in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar, since August 25, including disturbing reports of hundreds of people, including children, being killed.
Dubai: Schools more alert to suspected cases of child abuse
TravelWireNews – September 11, 2017
Afra Al Basti, Director-General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) said schools are also seeking more awareness from the foundation since the Child Protection Law took effect in June 2016.
http://travelwirenews.com/dubai-schools-more-alert-to-suspected-cases-of-child-abuse-399999/
South Africa: The child care funding crisis: Is there life after subsidies? (Opinion)
Daily Maverick – September 08, 2017
Inadequate funding for baby homes is creating a crisis in care which may leave some children quite literally out in the cold. With government solutions inadequate or non-existent, can business-based philanthropy make the difference? This year, the much maligned CEO SleepOut™ movement took up the challenge. As some South Africans continue to contend with the model, the question may well be, if not this, then what?
Peru: Peru Should Think Outside the ‘Baby Box’ (Opinion)
US News and World Report – September 12, 2017
Baby box programs purport to protect children by allowing them to be safely abandoned to the care of the government. But Peruvian critics of the proposal rightly ask whether their government is able to provide that care.
Bangladesh: Humanitarian Situation report, Rohingya influx
UNICEF – September 12, 2017
UNICEF is providing psychosocial support to 5,157 traumatized children through 41 Child Friendly Spaces (CFS). UNICEF has also triggered lifesaving nutrition interventions for the new arrivals by screening a total of 3,166 children and referring 143 SAM children for treatment. With UNICEF support, the Government is mobilizing vaccinations for all Rohingya children under 15 years against polio as well as measles and rubella; 41 Education in Emergency (EiE) Kits have been provide to established temporary learning centers in UNICEF-supported 41 Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) to reach an estimated 1,230 newly arrived children.
Canada: Air Canada : Foundation Helps Conquer Sexual Exploitation of Quebec Youth! (Press release)
Canadian Newswire (CNW) – September 13, 2017
The Missing Children’s Network is proud to announce that the Air Canada Foundation will support its sexual exploitation prevention program with a donation of $25,000. This generous donation will contribute to improving the program through the creation of educational tools to help youth recognize the dangers of exploitation.
Canada: Statement: 10 years since Indigenous rights fully recognized by the United Nations – how is Canada doing?
Canadian Newswire (CNW) – September 13, 2017
Today, on the tenth anniversary of the UN adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, issues the following statement.
http://www.tickertech.com/cgi/?a=news&ticker=a&w=&story=201709201709131113CANADANWWEB______C6607
Ghana: The Global Cocoa Crisis and What a Corporate Funder is Doing to Help Farmers in Ghana
Inside Philanthropy – September 14, 2017
It turns out that many promises have been made and broken to the cocoa farmers of the world. Cargill, the global food giant, is among those entities that have been criticized at times for the treatment of these farmers. But it’s now been working for five years to address concerns raised about its cocoa supply chain, including allegations of child slavery.
Kenya: SHOFCO and GE Partner On New Maternal and Infant Care Initiative in Kenya
AfricaBiz – September 14, 2017
Charity Shining Hope for Communities Organization (SHOFCO) of Kenya just announced, thanks to support from General Electric (www.GE.com), a new infant and maternal care initiative aimed at increasing access to pre-natal screenings for expectant mothers in Kibera, believed to be the largest urban slum in Africa with an estimated 700,000 inhabitants.
Bangladesh: Rohingya solo children at risk of sexual abuse
Gulf News – September 13, 2017
More than 1,100 Rohingya children fleeing violence in western Myanmar have arrived alone in Bangladesh since August 25, according to the latest Unicef figures. These solo children are at risk of sexual abuse, human trafficking and psychological trauma, the UN children’s agency said.
Also: Hundreds of Rohingya children arrive in Bangladesh alone: https://www.dawn.com/news/1357529
http://gulfnews.com/news/asia/rohingya/rohingya-solo-children-at-risk-of-sexual-abuse-1.2089551
Australia: Town gripped by paedophile epidemic with ‘90% of school-age children sexually abused’
Independent – September 18, 2017
Thirty-six men have been charged with more than 300 offences against 184 children after an investigation uncovered a “staggering” rate of abuse in Roebourne, Western Australia.
Canada: OPP’s revamped sex assault investigation strategy includes new training, oversight from advocacy groups
CBC News – September 15, 2017
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has unveiled a revamped strategy to handle sexual assault reports after a seven-month internal review into cases previously dismissed as “unfounded.” The report also identified the need for improved oversight and accountability for sexual assault investigations. In response, the OPP will establish committees in each of its six regions to oversee policy and training. The members of those committees will include the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Sexual Violence Advisory Group, child protection services and local victims services organizations.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/opp-sexual-assault-1.4291690?cmp=rss
Myanmar: More than half the refugees fleeing Myanmar are children
Quartz – September 18, 2017
The number of people who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh over the last three weeks has now crossed 400,000, according to the United Nations. If that’s not bad enough, here’s something even more troubling-the majority of them are children.
Nigeria: Lagos considering review of adoption processes
PM News Nigeria – September 17, 2017
The Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf has said that the government is considering the review of its adoption processes to meet with current realities and align with global best practices.
https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/09/17/lagos-considering-review-of-adoption-processes/
Uganda: The children of South Sudan’s war face hunger, rape and other violence on their long, often-solitary walks to safety
Los Angeles Times – September 15, 2017
Many children like Lutana have been arriving here in recent weeks, navigating a rickety bridge that marks the border between South Sudan and Uganda. Most often, they are dusty and painfully thin. Many seem numb and withdrawn, unwilling or unable to describe what occurred on their lonely journeys.
http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-south-sudan-children-20170915-story.html
Bangladesh: More than 600,000 Rohingya children could be in Bangladesh by the end of the year as demand for humanitarian assistance outstrips supply
Global News Wire – September 16, 2017
“The efforts of the Government of Bangladesh need to be recognized, having generously allowed more than 750,000 Rohingya into the country including those who were here prior to the last three weeks. That number could rise beyond one million by the end of the year if the influx continues, including about 600,000 children, according to UN agencies.
Cambodia: Supporting Family-Based Care: Tara Winkler’s Talk on Orphanages Considers Internal Exploitation (Includes video)
Trend Hunter – September 19, 2017
Tara Winkler, an activist, author, and child protection leader, begins her talk on orphanages by telling her audience about the time she spent volunteering in Cambodia. Eventually, she came to learn that the orphanage that she was working to support was incredibly corrupt, and all of the money that had been donated was embezzled by the director, who was also neglecting and abusing the children there.
https://www.trendhunter.com/keynote/talk-on-orphanages
Canada: Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde Sets Out Priorities as Parliament Resumes: ‘We Want Action and Progress’ (Press release)
Assembly of First Nations – September 18, 2017
As steps are taken on longer-term work, National Chief Bellegarde called for immediate action to end discrimination in areas where Canada’s own courts are demanding action. “We must end the discrimination in the First Nations child welfare system and call on Canada to immediately and fully implement the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders,” said National Chief Bellegarde.
Georgia: 388 children adopted inside and outside Georgia since 2015
Inter Press News (IPN) – September 19, 2017
As Georgia’s Social Service Agency reports, there are 350 beneficiaries in the small family-type houses and 1523 children enjoy foster care. As the agency informed IPN, 1428 children experienced foster care in 2015, 1539 – in 2016, 1523 – according to data from January including August, 2017.
International: Millions of World’s Children Lack any Record of Their Births (Includes audio & video)
Voice of America – September 16, 2017
In the developed world, birth certificates are often a bureaucratic certainty. However, across vast swaths of Africa and South Asia, tens of millions of children never get them, with potentially dire consequences in regard to education, health care, job prospects and legal rights. Young people without IDs are vulnerable to being coerced into early marriage, military service or the labor market before the legal age. In adulthood, they may struggle to assert their right to vote, inherit property or obtain a passport.
https://www.voanews.com/a/millions-of-world-children-lack-any-record-of-their-births/4031597.html
Zambia: World Vision to launch a new Child Protection Campaign
Lusaka Times – September 19, 2017
World Vision Zambia says it will soon launch a new Child Protection Campaign which will further maximize the current interventions on the plight of children in Zambia. The campaign dubbed: “It takes a World… to end violence against children” seeks to drastically reduce child marriages, gender based violence and child labour, vices that are prevalent in Zambia.
https://www.lusakatimes.com/2017/09/19/world-vision-launch-new-child-protection-campaign/
US: New Docu-Series Follows Queer Couple’s Foster-Adopt Odyssey (Includes video)
Chronicle of Social Change – September 19, 2017
Last week, The F-Word, a comedic documentary series following the journey of a queer couple looking to adopt from foster care, premiered online on PBS’s Indie Lens Storycast. The series’ producers and featured couple, Kristan Cassady and Nicole Opper, open up their lives to give others insight into the mystifying process of becoming a foster parent and eventually adopting. Their tale comes at a time when California and the rest of the country are grappling with finding caregivers for an increasing foster care population.
Greece: Police Cells Are No Place for Migrant Kids (Opinion)
Human Rights Watch – September 19, 2017
Is it ever acceptable for children to be detained in dark and dirty police cells, without access to the most basic services? Of course not. But when it comes to unaccompanied migrant children, Greek authorities appear to think the answer is yes.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/19/police-cells-are-no-place-migrant-kids
International: 3 Ways the United Nations Is Helping the World (and 2 Ways It Can’t) (Includes video)
Time Magazine – September 21, 2017
UNICEF, the UN division focused on child welfare, says it has helped save the lives of more than 90 million children since 1990. Over the last two and a half decades, the UN has assisted in efforts to help more than 1 billion escape extreme poverty, 2.1 billion people access improved sanitation facilities, and 2.6 billion people access improved sources of drinking water. These accomplishments matter for billions of people, and who else is willing and able to accept these responsibilities?
http://time.com/4951483/unga-2017-united-nations-north-korea-iran/
Mexico: UNICEF intensifies efforts after second earthquake in Mexico (Press release)
UNICEF Canada – September 21, 2017
UNICEF has stepped up its efforts to support children following the second earthquake that hit Mexico in less than two weeks. “UNICEF has been supporting children in Mexico for many years but, at the moment, the country and organizations like ours face a great challenge,” says Christian Skoog, UNICEF Representative in Mexico.
http://markets.pettinga.com/pettinga/news/read?GUID=34967733
Myanmar/Bangladesh: Rakhine Crisis
European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations – September 21, 2017
Concerns are growing for the protection and welfare of particularly vulnerable groups of refugees. Child protection agencies have noted that approximately 1 200 separated or unaccompanied children have already been registered in Bangladesh.
Turkey: UNICEF Turkey Humanitarian Situation Report #12, August 2017
UNICEF – August 31, 2017
Family and baby hygiene kits were distributed to vulnerable refugee and migrant families identified as being on the move in the provinces of Adana and Gaziantep, benefitting an estimated 4,300 children.
https://reliefweb.int/report/turkey/unicef-turkey-humanitarian-situation-report-12-august-2017
Vatican City: Pope admits church realized sex abuse problem ‘a bit late’
Associated Press – September 21, 2017
Pope Francis on Thursday acknowledged the Catholic Church was “a bit late” in realizing the damage done by priests who rape and molest children, and said that the decades-long practice of moving pedophiles around rather than sanctioning them was to blame.
http://www.kansas.com/news/nation-world/article174536706.html
Canada: Coordinating services for young victims in North Bay (Press release)
Department of Justice Canada – September 22, 2017
Today, Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming, on behalf of the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced funding to establish a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Nipissing District that will enhance and expand the integration of social, health, justice, law enforcement and other community services for victims of child abuse.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Protecting Children in Armed Conflict: Voices from the field
UN Office of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict – September 21, 2017
Despite progress made during the past decade, children across the globe continue to be victims of grave violations in situations of armed conflict. As we speak, thousands of children, both boys and girls, continue to suffer and witness acts of violence by parties to conflict who continue to disregard international humanitarian and human rights obligations and standards.
International: Tourism crimes! Volunteering and visiting Orphanages when traveling
ETurboNews – September 22, 2017
It’s human trafficking, child abuse and a crime participants often don’t even know they are part of it. It happens in Myanmar, Nepal and other countries. An Australian adventure travel company has a strong stance on child protection and has just announced a new charitable partnership with Australia-based child protection charity Forget Me Not. This reinforces the company’s commitment to end orphanage tourism and help reunite thousands of children with their families. The new partnership is kickstarted with an A$90,000 donation, made through The Intrepid Foundation.
https://eturbonews.com/165528/tourism-crimes-volunteering-visiting-orphanages-traveling
Rwanda: Govt Lifts Ban on Foreign Adoption of Rwandan Kids
All Africa – September 21, 2017
Foreigners or persons outside Rwandan can now adopt children in the country, seven years after the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion suspended the so-called inter-country adoption of Rwandan children.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201709210076.html
Singapore: Spotting abuse of young kids
Straights Times – September 25, 2017
A recent survey by the Singapore Children’s Society suggested that pre-school teachers are not well trained in handling child abuse cases or are not aware of the resources available.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spotting-abuse-of-young-kids
India: Should India become a signatory to the Hague Convention on international child abduction?
Economic Times (India) – September 24, 2017
Bring our Kids Home (BOKH) is a non-governmental organisation in the US formed in 2015 by parents, including many Indians and Indian-Americans. The members of BOKH are aggrieved parents (mostly fathers) who have been lobbying with US government officials in Congress and the State Department to urge the Indian government to become a signatory to the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention, which provides a way to return a child internationally abducted by a parent.
International: Educate to Lead: Leaving No Girl or Woman Behind
Impakter – September 26, 2017
Along with other NGOs and civil society organizations, Soroptimist International (SI) participated in the consultative processes that led to the creation of the 2030 Agenda. Through grassroots project work that empowers women, girls, and their communities, SI actively contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With almost 100 years of experience, SI is working to promote gender equality across a wide spectrum of issues where discrimination disables women and girls, preventing them from playing a full part in their communities.
http://impakter.com/educate-to-lead-no-girl-woman-behind/
Sudan: Girls, Child Marriage, and Education in Red Sea State, Sudan: Perspectives on Girls’ Freedom to Choose
Relief Web – September 26, 2017
Child marriage is any formal marriage or informal union where one or both parties are under 18 years of age. Child marriage affects both boys and girls, but disproportionately affects girls. Each year, 15 million girls are married before the age of 18, and that number is growing. Worldwide, 700 million women alive today were married before their 18th birthday and more than one in three girls are married before age of 15 (UNICEF 2014a, 1). Although the largest numbers of child brides are in South Asia, most of the countries with the highest prevalence of child marriage are in Africa (African Union 2015a, 3). Sudan is among the African countries with a high prevalence of child marriage. In Sudan, 10.7% of women aged 15 to 49 were married before the age of 15, and 38s% were married before the age of 18 (CBS and UNICEF 2010).
Report: https://www.cmi.no/publications/file/6326-girls-child-marriage.pdf
Europe: Countries have fulfilled less than a third of their asylum relocation promises
Amnesty International – September 25, 2017
European countries have utterly failed to fulfil their commitments to relocate asylum-seekers from Greece and Italy, Amnesty International said, as the two year period in which asylum-seekers are eligible for the relocation scheme comes to a close on 26 September 2017.
US: Human trafficking on the dark web and beyond (Includes video)
FOX 5 NEWS – September 27, 2017
Human trafficking experts are sounding the alarm about people being for sale. Waters said that people are enticed into trafficking through false promises. The dark web is only a small portion of the trafficking that happens in the United States and in New York, she added.
http://www.fox5ny.com/news/human-trafficking-on-the-dark-web-and-beyond
US: Survey of Adoption Attitudes Reveals Surprising Trend (Press release)
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption – September 27, 2017
Every five years the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption measures the attitudes of Americans and their feelings and thoughts about foster care adoption. This year the survey was completed by Nielsen on behalf of the Foundation and there were some surprising trends.
http://markets.pettinga.com/pettinga/news/read?GUID=34999710
US: US Ends Central American Minors Program for Child Refugees
teleSUR English – September 27, 2017
The United States will also set the overall refugee cap for the year at 45,000, a ceiling that keeps admissions to their lowest level in over a decade. The White House is ending the Central American Minors or CAM program that allowed vulnerable children fleeing violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to apply for refugee status in the United States before leaving home
US: Immigration Officials Taking New Steps to Discourage Smuggling of Children
New York Times – September 24, 2017
The Trump administration is stepping up its pursuit of parents who paid to have their children illegally brought into the United States, according to people familiar with the matter. The effort, part of a widening crackdown on illegal immigration, is aimed at discouraging families from paying human smuggling organizations.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/24/us/politics/parents-illegal-immigrants-human-smuggling.html
Australia: Aboriginal Parents Feel “An Overwhelming Sense Of Powerlessness” In Struggles With Child Protection System
BuzzFeed – September 28, 2017
It was “the difficult circumstances experienced by Aboriginal families that keep parents from actualising their parenting expectations,” the study reports. The study (subscription required) was conducted by Wiradjuri woman BJ Newton, a research associate at the University of NSW’s Social Policy Research Centre. It is the first project in Australia that specifically looks at how Aboriginal parents define and perceive child neglect.
Canada: OPSEU releases video on the “Sixties Scoop” (Press release)
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) – September 27, 2017
A video that documents the “Sixties Scoop” – the practice of taking the children of Indigenous parents from their homes for placement in adoption agencies or foster care that started in the 1960s and continues to this day – was released today at a special screening in Ottawa.
https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/09/n10111275/opseu-releases-video-on-the-sixties-scoop
Norway: Adolescents who have experienced terror attacks suffer from sleep disturbance
Medical Xpress – September 27, 2017
Adolescents who have experienced terror attacks suffer from sleep disturbance for years after the event. Researchers believe there is a need for better assessment and treatment of sleep disturbance in adolescents who have been exposed to trauma.
Report: Life Threat and Sleep Disturbances in Adolescents: A Two-Year Follow-Up of Survivors From the 2011 Utøya, Norway, Terror Attack: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.22196
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-09-adolescents-experienced-terror-disturbance.html
United Kingdom: Number of lone children seeking asylum doubles
Daily Mail – September 28, 2017
The number of lone asylum-seeking children in the care of councils in England has more than doubled in three years. Official statistics show local authorities were looking after 4,560 unaccompanied minors at the end of March 2017.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4929322/Number-lone-children-seeking-asylum-doubles.html
Australia: Aboriginal Parents Feel “An Overwhelming Sense Of Powerlessness” In Struggles With Child Protection System
BuzzFeed – September 28, 2017
It was “the difficult circumstances experienced by Aboriginal families that keep parents from actualising their parenting expectations,” the study reports. The study (subscription required) was conducted by Wiradjuri woman BJ Newton, a research associate at the University of NSW’s Social Policy Research Centre. It is the first project in Australia that specifically looks at how Aboriginal parents define and perceive child neglect.
Canada: OPSEU releases video on the “Sixties Scoop” (Press release)
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) – September 27, 2017
A video that documents the “Sixties Scoop” – the practice of taking the children of Indigenous parents from their homes for placement in adoption agencies or foster care that started in the 1960s and continues to this day – was released today at a special screening in Ottawa.
https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/09/n10111275/opseu-releases-video-on-the-sixties-scoop
Norway: Adolescents who have experienced terror attacks suffer from sleep disturbance
Medical Xpress – September 27, 2017
Adolescents who have experienced terror attacks suffer from sleep disturbance for years after the event. Researchers believe there is a need for better assessment and treatment of sleep disturbance in adolescents who have been exposed to trauma.
Report: Life Threat and Sleep Disturbances in Adolescents: A Two-Year Follow-Up of Survivors From the 2011 Utøya, Norway, Terror Attack: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.22196
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-09-adolescents-experienced-terror-disturbance.html
United Kingdom: Number of lone children seeking asylum doubles
Daily Mail – September 28, 2017
The number of lone asylum-seeking children in the care of councils in England has more than doubled in three years. Official statistics show local authorities were looking after 4,560 unaccompanied minors at the end of March 2017.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4929322/Number-lone-children-seeking-asylum-doubles.html
Bangladesh: Displaced Rohingyas at great risk of human trafficking in overwhelmed camps (Includes video)
Channel NewsAsia – September 28, 2017
Human trafficking syndicates have long operated in southeastern Bangladesh. As vulnerable people pour in, these networks are plotting to open up escape routes. Children are considered one of the high risk groups for human trafficking. The Bangladesh government estimates there are 6,000 unaccompanied children newly arrived in the country.
Also: Fear of Rohingya’s ending-up as human trafficking victims: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/284958/fear-rohingyas-ending-human-trafficking-victims
Canada: HSBC expands commitment to education for Canada’s most vulnerable and under-represented youth, reaching $11m in funding by 2020 (Press release)
HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC) – September 28, 2017
HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC) is expanding its commitment to four leading Canadian charities – Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Indspire, Pathways to Education Canada and United Way – providing more than $11 million in funding by 2020 (2014-20). Together, they are providing wraparound support to Indigenous youth, as well as young people who are at-risk, in low-income communities, or involved in the child welfare system.
International: Humanitarian standards now available on mobile devices (Press release)
Sphere Project – September 27, 2017
“Two of the top strategic priorities for the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action are sector integration and localization,” says Audrey Bollier, coordinator for the Alliance. “The HSPapp will make the humanitarian standards, including those for child protection, more accessible to frontline workers and clarify our various interlinkages to immensely facilitate that work.”
http://www.sphereproject.org/news/humanitarian-standards-available-on-mobile-devices/
US: 9M Kids’ Health Insurance At Risk As Congress Lets CHIP Expire
US Patch – September 29, 2017
As Republicans scrambled for one last-ditch attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare before the Sept. 30 deadline, a vital program that provides health care coverage for millions of kids across the country has come to the brink of expiration. Funding for CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, will start to run dry on Oct. 1 if Congress doesn’t act – and it is increasingly looking like it won’t.
https://patch.com/maryland/arbutus/s/g8q4s/how-9m-kids-health-care-funding-could-expire
US: Commissioners Approve Pursuing Next Steps toward Suing Opioid Manufacturers
Tribune – September 28, 2017
At least twenty-five US municipal and county entities have filed lawsuits against businesses involved in the licit opioid supply chain this year. States launching suits include Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Other states are interviewing law firms; Delaware being among those who have issued Requests for Proposals. Defendants include McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, Purdue Pharma, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Endo International, Teva Pharmaceutical, Allergan, Watson Pharmaceuticals, and Covidien.
US: Judge asked, ‘Does anyone want the child?’-mom posted what she heard to Facebook, response went viral
Epoch Times – September 28, 2017
Too often, stories are shared of families finding “forever homes” for infants they worked so hard to adopt. The opposite is true of the foster care system; foster children are often treated with disdain and discomfort, with the families they live with trying hard not to get too attached, in order to protect their own emotions. Foster mom Sarah shared the very reason that this is the wrong approach to fostering, though.
US: Sold for Sex: Senate Committee Investigates Human Trafficking of Native Women and Children
Rewire – September 28, 2017
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) heard testimony on the findings and recommendations of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examining the growing problem of human trafficking in Indian Country and among Native Americans, one of the most vulnerable populations in the United States. “Human trafficking is a truly despicable activity aimed at exploiting vulnerable people, usually women and girls,” said SCIA committee chair Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) in his opening remarks.
Also: Sex trafficking in Indian Country a ‘significant problem,’ senators told: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/sex-trafficking-in-indian-country-a-significant-problem-senators-told/article_a5a2c60f-aefe-55ef-a5fd-31c17e7f41bf.html
Also: Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report: Human Trafficking: Investigations in Indian Country or Involving Native Americans and Actions Needed to Better Report on Victims Served:
Testimony: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-762T
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/assets/690/687392.pdf
Also: Hoeven: Reports Highlight Need for Better Data to Combat Human Trafficking in Indian Country (Press release): https://www.indian.senate.gov/news/press-release/hoeven-reports-highlight-need-better-data-combat-human-trafficking-indian-country
US: Supreme Court will hear union dues case
New York Times – September 28, 2017
Unions including the New York State United Teachers and the AFL-CIO reacted angrily Thursday to news that the U.S. Supreme Court will revisit a case that could decide whether public sector labor groups can collect fees from workers they represent but who are not members. In Friedrichs, a Los Angeles public school teacher sought to end her payments to the teachers union there. In the case still to be heard by the court, Illinois state child protective worker Mark Janus is objecting to fees he’s obligated to pay to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents him.
Also: Supreme Court Will Hear Case on Mandatory Fees to Unions: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/us/politics/supreme-court-will-hear-case-on-mandatory-fees-to-unions.html?mcubz=3
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/U-S-Supreme-Court-will-hear-public-sector-dues-12238027.php
US: Juvenile Prisons: It’s Time to Close ‘Factories of Failure'(Opinion)
Crime Report – September 27, 2017
It’s long past time to change the paradigm that has determined how the justice system deals with youth since the 1800s, when America’s first youth prisons were launched.
https://thecrimereport.org/2017/09/26/juvenile-prisons-its-time-to-close-the-factories-of-failure/
US: Schools Brace For An Influx Of Students From Puerto Rico
National Public Radio – September 27, 2017
Nearly a week after Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico, students who can’t return to school may need to continue their education on the mainland. Some of the largest school districts in Florida, plus major cities like New York City and Chicago, are preparing for the possibility of an influx of students from the island.
US: Evaluating Programs in Complex Systems: New Approaches
Annie E. Casey Foundation – September 25, 2017
Increasingly, human service programs that serve children and families are embedded in complex systems. Creating opportunity for parents and children together means that child-care centers might, for example, be in housing projects whose residences are connected to college programs. Community organizations increasingly provide parenting skills education, workforce development programs and have mental health counselors on site. The goal: program participants experience seamless delivery of multiple services under the umbrella of a single program. But integrating approaches that traditionally have been separate requires a new approach to evaluation as well.
Also: Report: Creating Opportunity for Families: http://www.aecf.org/resources/creating-opportunity-for-families/
http://www.aecf.org/blog/evaluating-programs-in-complex-systems-new-approaches/
US: How To: Creating a Kin-First Culture in Child Welfare
Annie E. Casey Foundation – September 25, 2017
WikiHow is an online instruction manual for everything from building a patio to reviewing a journal article. With a new installment on kinship care, child welfare practitioners can get step-by-step guidance on how to ensure more children are placed with relatives when their parents cannot care for them.
Also: wikiHow to Create a Kin First Foster Care System: http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Kin-First-Foster-Care-System
http://www.aecf.org/blog/how-to-creating-a-kin-first-culture-in-child-welfare/
US: Latest Census Figures on Child Poverty Merit a “Thumbs Up,” But There’s More to Come (Commentary)
National Center for Children in Poverty – September 14, 2017
There seems to be far more bad news than good surrounding us these days. And so, the U.S. Census Bureau’s release this week of 2016 data on poverty, income, and health insurance released this week, contains some good news that’s worth spreading. While the numbers don’t warrant a big celebration, they certainly call for a “thumbs-up.” Poverty is at pre-recession levels, having declined from 13.5 percent in 2015 to 12.7 percent in 2016 -a reduction of 2.5 million people.
Also: Information Gateway resource: Related Statistics and Demographic Data: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/statistics/related/
http://nccpblog.tumblr.com/post/165331376052/latest-census-figures-on-child-poverty-merit-a
Bangladesh: Displaced Rohingyas at great risk of human trafficking in overwhelmed camps (Includes video)
Channel NewsAsia – September 28, 2017
Human trafficking syndicates have long operated in southeastern Bangladesh. As vulnerable people pour in, these networks are plotting to open up escape routes. Children are considered one of the high risk groups for human trafficking. The Bangladesh government estimates there are 6,000 unaccompanied children newly arrived in the country.
Also: Fear of Rohingya’s ending-up as human trafficking victims: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/284958/fear-rohingyas-ending-human-trafficking-victims
Canada: HSBC expands commitment to education for Canada’s most vulnerable and under-represented youth, reaching $11m in funding by 2020 (Press release)
HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC) – September 28, 2017
HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC) is expanding its commitment to four leading Canadian charities – Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Indspire, Pathways to Education Canada and United Way – providing more than $11 million in funding by 2020 (2014-20). Together, they are providing wraparound support to Indigenous youth, as well as young people who are at-risk, in low-income communities, or involved in the child welfare system.
International: Humanitarian standards now available on mobile devices (Press release)
Sphere Project – September 27, 2017
“Two of the top strategic priorities for the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action are sector integration and localization,” says Audrey Bollier, coordinator for the Alliance. “The HSPapp will make the humanitarian standards, including those for child protection, more accessible to frontline workers and clarify our various interlinkages to immensely facilitate that work.”
http://www.sphereproject.org/news/humanitarian-standards-available-on-mobile-devices/
Israel: State reverses opposition to same-sex couples adopting children
Times of Israel – August 29, 2017
The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry has reversed its opposition to same-sex couples adopting children in Israel, less than a month after announcing the controversial decision, according to a report Tuesday.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/state-reverses-opposition-to-same-sex-couples-adopting-children/
Philippines: Agencies join efforts for enhanced child protection
Sun Star Network – August 30, 2017
The Ifugao Provincial Police Office, Department of Education, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, and the Provincial Health Office signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen efforts for the protection of children in the different municipalities of the province.
US: Students Displaced by Hurricane Protected by Federal Law on Homeless
Education Week – August 28, 2017
The vast majority of students who may end up temporarily or permanently displaced by Hurricane Harvey are entitled to full protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act that covers homeless students. That could also end up placing extra financial and logistical weight on school districts serving students in and outside the area affected by the disaster.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2017/08/why_the_mckinney-vento_act_is_.html
US: Why Taking Care of My Own Mental Health Is Difficult as a Foster Care Caseworker (Opinion)(May require registration)
Mighty – August 28, 2017
I am a foster care caseworker. I am responsible for putting families back together, for helping parents do programs which would enable their children to return to their custody and for helping ensure the safety of the children, both in their foster homes and with their parents. I work with a litany of service providers including but not limited to substance abuse treatment professionals, therapists, psychiatrists, parenting instructors, attorneys, relatives, advocates, schools, foster families, Early Intervention and gazillions more. What everyone tends to forget is I am also a human being.
https://themighty.com/2017/08/secondary-trauma-foster-care-caseworker/
United Kingdom: Scandal of 700 babies born addicted to drugs in Scotland
Herald Scotland – August 26, 2017
Direct government funding to alcohol and drug partnerships have been slashed in Scotland with a freedom of information request revealing that half of Scotland’s health boards were not making up the shortfall in funds as promised. This has created concern amongst drug campaign groups that the opportunities for preventative treatments are being overlooked.
US: New Treatment Program Aims To Keep Families Together
Fix – August 25, 2017
The program aims to circumvent the foster care system by helping parents find recovery so they be better involved in their children’s lives.
https://www.thefix.com/new-treatment-program-aims-keep-families-together
US: Former Foster Youth Develops Online Course to Empower Foster Children
Chronicle of Social Change – August 24, 2017
A former foster youth has created an innovative tool for professionals in the child welfare system through his online course, Fostering Resilience. Michael Place, now an international public speaker and child rights activist, recently launched Fostering Resilience to help professionals identify and foster resilient behaviors in children.
Europe: New Objects Identified in Europol’s “Stop Child Abuse” Campaign – Second Update
Bellingcat – August 28, 2017
Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, has asked the help of the crowd in countering child pornography. Despite all their detection methods, they sometimes encounter objects in child abuse footage of which they have no idea what it is or where they are. Following Europol’s call for help, Bellingcat started a crowdsourcing project that has successfully identified several objects.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2017/08/28/stop-child-abuse-2nd-update/
Jordan: MOSD, UNICEF convenes experts meeting for a national strategy on foster care for children without parental care
UNICEF – August 22, 2017
“An important clause in the Convention on the Rights of the Child on early childhood protection programmes focuses on family protection, which also includes family foster care for children who do not have parents or relatives,” said the Minister of Social Development H.E. Hala Lattouf.
Philippines: Gov’t. agencies join efforts for enhanced child protection services (Press release)
Philippine Information Agency – August 25, 2017
The Ifugao Provincial Police Office, Department of Education, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and the Provincial Health Office signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen efforts for the protection of children in the different municipalities of the province. This is in response to recent complaints reaching the Office of the Governor regarding incidents of child abuse and children at risk that need to be addressed by concerned agencies.
US: What Does Back to School Mean for LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care? (Opinion)
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – August 23, 2017
As the country prepares for the upcoming school year, some students, especially those that identify as LGBTQ or are part of LGBTQ families, have concerns for their safety and support.
http://www.hrc.org/blog/what-does-back-to-school-mean-for-lgbtq-youth-in-foster-care
India: Consultation on Foster Care Guidelines 2016 held
Morung Express – August 25, 2017
The State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), Social Welfare Department organized a one day consultation meet on Foster Care Guidelines 2016 at the Red Cross Building, Kohima. The objective of the meet was to deliberate and adapt the Foster Care Guidelines 2016 to suit the economic and geographic needs of the state and to come up with our Nagaland state rules on foster care, informed a press release received here.
http://morungexpress.com/consultation-foster-care-guidelines-2016-held/
United Kingdom: Prime Minister Theresa May launches new youth mental health initiative during visit to Powys
County Times – August 25, 2017
Prime Minister Theresa May visited South Powys last week to launch a new youth mental health initiative on A-Level results day. Mrs May announced that thousands of teenagers will receive support to deal with mental health issues as part of the National Citizen Service.
US: Bishops oppose Trump’s decision ending program for unaccompanied child migrants
Crux – August 22, 2017
The U.S. bishops are protesting the decision of the Trump administration to end a program open to migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in an effort to control the flood of unaccompanied children into the United States trying to escape violence in their home countries. In 2014 alone, more than 60,000 unaccompanied children made their way into the country causing a massive backlog in the courts.
Syrian Arab Republic: Whole of Syria: Child Protection Snapshot, January- June 2017 (Press release)
Relief Web – August 23, 2017
The child protection sector in Syria is comprised of approximately 96 partners including, UN, INGO, Syrian NGO and government agencies operating in 13 governorates. The sector works to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children through strengthening community-based child protection programming, including psychosocial support, providing specialized child protection services, mine/explosive remnants of war risk education and strengthening the capacity of frontline workers and volunteers to respond to child protection issues.
United Kingdom: Reports of child neglect in Cumbria rise by more than 60 per cent in five years
Masil – August 23, 2017
The NSPCC has expressed deep concern over the rise in the number of neglect referrals to children’s services made nationally over the past five years. In Cumbria during 2016-17 there were 126 referrals made by the children’s charity to partner agencies such as the police or county-run social services. This was a rise of 68 per cent compared to 2011-12 when there were only 75 referrals
United Kingdom: Big Issue: Why has there been an increase in reports of child neglect in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire?
Sentinel (UK) – August 23, 2017
The statistics, which are broken down into local authority areas, show the helpline received 255 reports of child neglect in the Staffordshire County Council area during 2016/17. This was up from 104 in 2011/12 – an increase of 145 per cent.
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/local-news/big-issue-been-increase-reports-369752
US: The possibility, hope, and uncertainty of being a foster-to-adopt parent (Includes audio) (Opinion)
Medium – July 31, 2017
“You could have a kid who has issues even if they’re your biological kid. You still have to take them to therapy. Or you can have a kid with special needs and be dealing with that stuff. It doesn’t matter if you’re biologically related to them or not. With foster care, you have to deal with someone else controlling your life. That’s the piece that is the hardest for me.”
United Kingdom: Huge rise in reports of child neglect in Wales
Capital Radio (UK) – August 23, 2017
Reports of neglect to the NSPCC in Wales have reached record numbers. The charity now refers an average of 16 reports of child neglect every week to Welsh police and social services. In 2016/17 its helpline dealt with 804 reports in this way following calls or emails from concerned adults – an 80% rise in the space of five years, up from 447 in 2011/12.
http://www.capitalfm.com/southwales/radio/news/local/huge-rise-in-reports-of-child-neglect-in-wales/
US: We Need to Work on Barriers to Educational Success for Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care
Youth Today – August 21, 2017
As of September 2012, there were 399,546 children in foster care. In 2015, this number increased to 427,900 with 26,668 of them being 17 to 20 years old. Of those youth in foster care, approximately 50 percent graduate from high school, 20 percent attend college and only 2 to 9 percent graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
Information Gateway resource: College Scholarships and Support for Higher Education: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/outofhome/independent/support/education/
http://youthtoday.org/2017/08/barriers-to-educational-success-for-youth-who-age-out-of-foster-care/
Australia: Royal Commission report highlights ADF failures allowed child abuse (Audio)
ABC (Australia) – August 22, 2017
In its latest report, the commission focuses on two naval and army training bases in Western Australia and Victoria, where senior recruits routinely intimidated and harassed junior recruits as young as 15 between 1960 and 1980.
International: Study shows global estimates of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder among children
Medical Xpress – August 21, 2017
Globally, nearly eight out of every 1,000 children in the general population is estimated to have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), according to a new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). In addition, it is estimated that one out of 13 women who consumed any alcohol at any point or frequency during pregnancy delivered a child with FASD.
Also: Global Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Among Children and Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2649225
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-global-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder.html
US: Trump administration shuts down Central American minor protection program (Includes video)
Fox News – August 17, 2017
The Trump administration on Wednesday shut down yet another Obama-era program – this one created to give Central American minors fleeing poverty and gang violence in their homeland temporary legal status in the United States.
US: What Do We Know About Sex Offenders? (Opinion)
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs – August 15, 2017
Recognizing the ever-growing body of research on sex offenders and sexual offending, the Department of Justice’s Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART) Office developed the Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning Initiative (SOMAPI). SOMAPI summarizes the current state of sex offender management research and practice and recommends steps to bolster the evidence behind certain strategies used to contain and manage this population.
https://ojp.gov/ojpblog/blog-smart-about-somapi.htm
Bangladesh: South Asia floods put thousands of children at risk
Plan International – August 18, 2017
“Our years of experience in Asia have also shown us that children (especially girls) are the most vulnerable victims of disasters and require specific support to ensure their protection and safety, which can often be compromised in an emergency. We have created safe spaces for children, with a special emphasis on girls, and are supporting the re-opening of schools, so children can resume their education as quickly as possible, says Gebregziabher.
Also: South Asia: Plan International launches multi-country response to support thousands of children, families at risk following devastating floods: http://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/south-asia-plan-international-launches-multi-country-response-support-thousands
https://plan-international.org/news/2017-08-18-south-asia-floods-put-thousands-children-risk
Canada: International adoptions decline dramatically in Canada
CBC News – August 20, 2017
The number of international adoptions has declined dramatically in Canada in the last five years due to tighter country controls, exorbitant costs and alternative routes to parenthood. Last year, there were only 793 international adoptions in Canada, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). That’s the lowest number in decades, and nearly half the total from 2012, when there were 1,379 inter-country adoptions.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/international-adoptions-canada-decline-1.4253698
Canada: On the Trail of Canada’s Missing Women (Opinion)
New York Times – August 18, 2017
With a budget of 54 million Canadian dollars ($42 million U.S.), the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was asked to explore the root causes of the violence, including the role of institutions like the police and child welfare services.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/opinion/canada-missing-women.html
Finland: Petition to raise the refugee quota submitted to Minister Risikko
Relief Web – August 21, 2017
The refugee quota is used to help those who are most vulnerable: women who have suffered violence, single mothers, children, the disabled and victims of torture. In recent years, approximately half of Finland’s quota refugees have been children. According to the UN, currently only one per cent of refugees in need of relocation are able to successfully relocate to a safe country.
http://reliefweb.int/report/finland/petition-raise-refugee-quota-submitted-minister-risikko
Palestine: NGO: Palestinian Territories Facing Worsening Child Protection Crisis
Palestine Chronicle – August 18, 2017
“Save the Children, along with other agencies and partners, calls upon world leaders to take action to protect children’s inalienable right to safe access to a quality education and to guarantee the special protection afforded to children in areas of conflict,” Jennifer Moorehead, director of Save the Children – Palestine said.
Sudan: Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict adopts its fifth conclusion on Sudan
Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict – August 18, 2017
In response to other key recommendations, Watchlist is pleased to see the Working Group recall in its letter to the Government that children associated with armed forces and armed groups should be treated primarily as victims in line with the Paris Principles, and its welcoming the Government’s release of the 21 children detained by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).
Also: Watchlist’s work on Sudan: http://watchlist.org/countries/sudan/
Also: Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Sudan: http://watchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/n1705844.pdf
United Kingdom: Unaccompanied Children Face Battling Immigration Legal Cases Alone
Huffington Post UK – August 20, 2017
Trying to navigate the immigration system in a new country alone is something any adult would find difficult. But in the UK right now, thousands of children who are alone and separated from their families – are in this situation without the support and access to legal advice that they badly need.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/richard-crellin/unaccompanied-children_b_17773324.html
United Kingdom: Safeguarding Programme Set to Roll Out to UK Schools
EIN Presswire – August 18, 2017
A child safeguarding programme for schools, with education at its heart, is set to roll out to 53 Academies across four multi-agency Trusts next month.
http://thenumbers.marketplace.org/publicradio/news/read?GUID=34784446
US: In a step toward fighting human trafficking, sex ads are linked to Bitcoin data
Berkeley News – August 16, 2017
“Sex trafficking of children hides in plain sight within the vast online escort environment. It’s difficult for investigators to sift through the mounds of data and figure out what is important and what is not when looking for a child,” said Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn. “This type of research is critical to advancing this work and helping investigators find children faster and reduce the time in trauma. We’re grateful to academics and researchers who are willing to lend their time and talent to this issue to help find new solutions that move this work forward.”
Japan: A Third of Mothers Neglected Prenatal Checkups in Child Abuse Death Cases
Jiji Press – August 18, 2017
An experts’ panel investigating fatal child abuse cases in Japan in fiscal 2015 reported Thursday that over 30% of the mothers of the dead children did not receive checkups during their pregnancies.
http://www.nippon.com/en/genre/society/l10449/
Japan: Foster family and adoption system needs greater support to expand
Japan News – August 18, 2017
Strengthening consultation and support services will be essential for increasing the number of households willing to take in children. Not a few children are difficult to raise, as they may have mental and physical development problems due to abuse or other reasons. The nation needs a system that is consistently implemented, from advertising for and training foster parents to providing support after a child has been placed in their home.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003888345
US: Many Nurses Lack Knowledge Of Health Risks To Mothers After Childbirth (Includes audio)
National Public Radio – August 17, 2017
In recent months, mothers who nearly died in the hours and days after giving birth have repeatedly told ProPublica and NPR that their doctors and nurses were often slow to recognize the warning signs that their bodies weren’t healing properly.
US: ‘Concussion’ doctor says letting kids play football is child abuse (Video)
WNEM CBS5 – August 15, 2017
It’s no secret playing football and other contact sports can put your child at risk of getting seriously hurt, but does that make it child abuse?
http://www.wnem.com/story/36136302/concussion-doctor-says-letting-kids-play-football-is-child-abuse
Japan: Spotlight: Number of child abuse cases in Japan spikes in 2016, welfare workers overstretched
Xinhua Net – August 17, 2017
The number of cases of child abuse in Japan that involved child consultation centers increased to a record level in 2016, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Thursday. Welfare workers dealing with abused children and their parents in the same period had doubled, the ministry also said.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-08/17/c_136533824.htm
New Zealand: Dame Susan Devoy asks UN to push for child abuse inquiry
New Zealand Herald – August 16, 2017
The Race Relations Commissioner has asked the United Nations to pressure New Zealand’s Government to hold an inquiry into child abuse in state-run institutions.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11904881
United Kingdom: Sajid Javid calls for child abuse debate after Sarah Champion exit
BBC News – August 17, 2017
Ms Champion’s article was written after 17 men were convicted of forcing girls in Newcastle to have sex. The men, who were mostly British-born, were from Iraqi, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Iranian and Turkish communities. In interviews following the convictions, the Labour MP said such crimes involved “predominately Pakistani men” and said a fear of being called racist was hampering the authorities’ investigations.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40959387
US: Innovation in Social Work: Where Does it Come From?
Social Work Helper – August 13, 2017
As social workers, we often confront complex situations. And we are all about developing solutions and strategies for change. In doing so we draw on our past experience, research, the experience of colleagues, and best practices. But sometimes we come up short and find we need new ideas-we find that we need to innovate.
https://www.socialworkhelper.com/2017/08/13/innovation-social-work-come/
US: New Manual Guides Church Leaders in Sexual Abuse policies and prevention
Aquila Report – August 10, 2017
In 2015, the last year for which numbers are available, there were 683,000 incidents of child abuse and neglect reported to child protective services in the United States. “Protestants understand this isn’t just a Catholic issue,” said Tchividjian, referring to the massive clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. “This issue is sadly incredibly prevalent.”
US: I Have PTSD from Growing Up with Addicted Parents
Fix.com – August 14, 2017
I was convinced I wasn’t good enough-that I was leave-able, not worth staying sober for, not worth anything.
https://www.thefix.com/i-have-ptsd-growing-addicted-parents
US: Stop putting PC ideology before the needs of foster kids (Opinion)
New York Post – August 14, 2017
If it were simply about safety, there are a whole lot of other features that would be banned from foster homes, like swimming pools. Citing 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, economist John Lott wrote, “For all children younger than 10, there were 36 accidental gun deaths, and that is out of 41 million children (and) two-thirds … involving young children are not shots fired by other little kids but rather by adult males with criminal backgrounds.” By contrast, 609 children drowned that same year.
http://nypost.com/2017/08/14/stop-putting-pc-ideology-before-the-needs-of-foster-kids/
Canada: Moving Beyond the 1965 Agreement to Improve Support to Children and Families in Ontario First Nations (Press release)
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada – August 14, 2017
The well-being of Indigenous children and families is a priority for the Governments of Canada and Ontario. Minister Bennett reiterated the need for a full reform of the child and family services component of the 1965 Agreement. This is a critical step in prioritizing prevention services and supporting First Nations-led institutions that build on community strengths and support children so that they can grow up in a safe, healthy environment with a secure personal and cultural identity.
http://business.dailytimesleader.com/dailytimesleader/news/read?GUID=34758974
Greece: Sharp Rise In Detention Of Migrant Children
Eurasia Review – August 02, 2017
The number of unaccompanied migrant children held in unsuitable police cells and detention centers in Greece has increased alarmingly, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas.
http://www.eurasiareview.com/02082017-greece-sharp-rise-in-detention-of-migrant-children/
International: Lebanese war children adopted abroad go in search of their roots
Agence France-Presse – August 15, 2017
Many of those adopted abroad during Lebanon’s 15-year civil war have embarked on the same process of tracing their biological parents. But such searches are often complicated by reams of false paperwork and secrets that many people would prefer remain buried. Zeina Allouche, co-founder of the Badael-Alternatives NGO, estimates that at least 10,000 Lebanese children were adopted during the war, which lasted from 1975 to 1990.
Saint Kitts and Nevis: National Child Protection Policy will ‘build solid framework for victims’
St. Kitts and Nevis Observer – August 14, 2017
“The problem of child abuse and neglect in all forms remains a concern of the entire population of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Gerald Connor, probation officer in the Department of Probation and Child Protection Services as he gave an overview of the policy. He said the policy will outline the minimum standard for the prevention, investigation, care and judicial investigation of child abuse victims. The National Child Protection Policy will give an “efficient and effective framework to protect children who are likely to be victims of abuse and neglect,” he said, pointing out that the framework outlines the responsibilities for different agencies to follow when dealing with victims of child abuse.
US: Why Being A Mother While Imprisoned Is Impossible Right Now
Bustle – August 10, 2017
Currently, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) isn’t required to place inmates near their children, despite nearly 80 percent of women prisoners being mothers. As a result, 84 percent of parents in federal prisons are incarcerated more than 100 miles from their kids, according to a report from Rutgers University’s National Resource Center on Children & Families of the Incarcerated. About 65 percent of women in U.S. prisons and jails have children under 18, with the majority of those women serving as the primary caretaker prior to incarceration.
Also: Report: Children and Families of the Incarcerated Fact Sheet: https://nrccfi.camden.rutgers.edu/files/nrccfi-fact-sheet-2014.pdf
https://www.bustle.com/p/why-being-a-mother-while-imprisoned-is-impossible-right-now-75076
Angola: UNICEF Angola Refugee Crisis Situation Update 24 July 2017
Relief Web – August 10, 2017
The Angolan authorities estimate that more than 32,000 people (17,153 children) have fled instability in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and have arrived as refugees in Angola since early April 2017.
http://reliefweb.int/report/angola/unicef-angola-refugee-crisis-situation-update-24-july-2017
Australia: Abuse of older children often overlooked, deputy principal tells suicide inquest
News Grio – August 14, 2017
A deputy school principal has raised concerns about difficulties in getting suspected cases of abuse against older children investigated by child protection authorities.
http://www.newsgrio.com/?p=191450
United Kingdom: Child sex convictions spark UK debate about race and abuse
Associated Press – August 10, 2017
Britain is wrestling with a volatile nexus of crime, race and religion, after 18 people were convicted of sexually abusing women and girls as young as 15. The crimes follow a pattern that has become grimly familiar from cases across Britain in the last few years. The convicted men mostly come from South Asian Muslim backgrounds. Their victims – who were plied with drugs and alcohol before being abused at parties, in taxis or in back rooms – are mostly white.
US: The Opioid Epidemic: A National Public Health Emergency
Huffington Post – August 09, 2017
Over the past two years, health professionals, policymakers, and the public have acknowledged the seriousness and scope of the opioid epidemic in America, and have sought to discover its causes.
US: Why Immigration Policy Should Matter to Youth-Serving Systems (Opinion)
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange – August 09, 2017
Immigration policy touches a large percentage of young people in the United States. Twenty-three percent of children in the U.S. are either immigrants or children of immigrants. While many of them may have been born in the United States, some have parents who do not have legal immigrant status; and some of the children are themselves without legal status. And immigrant children, whether documented or not, are among the most vulnerable.
https://jjie.org/2017/08/09/why-immigration-policy-should-matter-to-youth-serving-systems/
Canada: Indigenous heritage doesn’t overrule other factors in adoption: BC court
Canadian Press – August 09, 2017
Aboriginal heritage must be considered when placing a child with an adoptive family, but it does not overrule all other factors in deciding their best interests, the British Columbia Court of Appeal has ruled.
Canada: Strong Link Between Child Welfare and Youth Homelessness in Canada
McGill Newsroom – August 09, 2017
A new report shows that almost sixty percent (57.8%) of homeless youth in Canada report involvement with the child welfare system at some point in their lives.
Report: http://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/ChildWelfare-PolicyBrief-final_0.pdf
US: ‘Marijuana moms’ say smoking pot makes them better parents (Includes video)
Today – August 01, 2017
Whether it’s smoking from a bong or lighting a joint, these moms make marijuana a regular part of their lives.
Also: The Unbearable Whiteness of the Marijuana Moms (Opinion) (Includes video): http://hightimes.com/culture/the-unbearable-whiteness-of-the-marijuana-moms/
Freely Associated States: Interior Department Continues Funding For One Stop Shops Serving Micronesian Migrants (Press release)
Pacific Islands Report – August 08, 2017
The one stop centers provide information and services to migrants from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau also known as the Freely Associated States or FAS. A third grant for $63,249 will be used to strengthen organizations providing family services on Guam, and a fourth grant for $77,349 will support similar efforts in Springdale, Arkansas, which large communities of Marshallese migrants now call home.
United Kingdom: Baby Box scheme introduced for new parents in Kent (Includes audio)
Kent Online – August 09, 2017
The Baby Box, which is made from durable cardboard and comes with a firm foam mattress, waterproof mattress cover and a fitted cotton sheet, is traditionally used in Finland as a baby’s bed for the first months of the child’s life, replacing the need for a traditional basket or cot.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/baby-box-scheme-to-cut-130216/
US: Twelve Child Welfare Policy Ideas from Former Foster Youth
Chronicle of Social Change – August 07, 2017
Every year, one of Youth Services Insider’s favorite assignments is poring over the policy recommendations of the 12 young people selected for the Foster Youth Internship Program (FYI), a program operated by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Each participant interns for a member of Congress and produces one proposal on how to improve child welfare policy. This year’s collection, “Unlocking Potential,” did not disappoint.
Also: Flipping the Script on Foster Youth Advocacy Out West: https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/youth-voice/flipping-the-script-on-foster-youth-advocacy-out-west/27783
US: How Do Baby Boxes Prevent SIDS? Pediatricians Explain The Major Benefit
Medical Health News – August 06, 2017
According to NPR, there are about 3,500 unexcepted sudden infant deaths per year here in the U.S. That rate has dropped significantly after the Back To Sleep campaign was implemented in 1994 (and urged parents to put their babies to sleep on their backs instead of their bellies). But, recently, there has been a slight rise in SIDS. NPR noted that in comparison, Finland (where the U.S. is getting its idea for the baby box program) began giving out baby boxes to mothers during their prenatal medical visits about 80 years ago. Since then, they boast one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates.
Australia: Baby Bjay Johnstone’s ‘tragic’ death prompts child protection changes
News Grio – August 08, 2017
Coroner Olivia McTaggart found in June that the six-week-old died as a result of severe head trauma inflicted by his father. She also found that the child protection system had not protected him, as it had a duty to do, and could have prevented his death. Ms Petrumsa told Parliament the circumstances which lead to the baby’s death were a “tragedy” and all 18 coronial recommendations were being acted on.
http://www.newsgrio.com/?p=184260
Australia: Baby boxes could drastically reduce sudden infant death cases in Australia.There’s just one hold up (Includes video)
Mamma Mia – August 07, 2017
So what makes the original Finnish baby boxes so good? Well, they’ve got almost everything that new parents need, from clothes, nappies and a sleeping bag, through to a toy, a book, a bath thermometer and condoms. But the best thing of all is the box itself, which comes with a mattress, so it can be used as a bed.
http://www.mamamia.com.au/baby-boxes-are-spreading-worldwide/
International: Are People Who Don’t Let their Kids Choose their Gender Unfit Parents? (Opinion)
Education News – August 07, 2017
This week, the Daily Signal reported that a Canadian province in Ontario: . . . passed a law allowing state agencies to prevent families that will not affirm a child’s chosen “gender identity” from adopting or providing foster care to children.
http://www.educationviews.org/people-dont-kids-choose-gender-unfit-parents/
Ireland: Rabbitte calls for additional resources to support mandatory reporting
Fianna Fail – August 07, 2017
“We completely support the introduction of mandatory reporting, which is part of the Children First legislation. However, introducing mandatory reporting will naturally lead to an increased workload for Tusla. When mandatory reporting was introduced in New South Wales, it led to a 600% increase in complaints”, explained Deputy Rabbitte. “Resources already seem to be stretched within Tusla, and there is no doubt that the agency would become even more strained with the addition of this extra work.
https://www.fiannafail.ie/rabbitte-calls-for-additional-resources-to-support-mandatory-reporting/
United Kingdom: Baby Boxes: Seven Things New Parents Need To Know
Huffington Post UK – August 08, 2017
Baby boxes are nothing new, having been around for almost a century in some parts of Northern Europe, but now many parents in the UK are choosing to adopt this trend for their newborn child. However, there have been conflicting reports about whether or not placing babies to sleep in the boxes reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
US: Child Welfare Ideas from the Experts #12: Connecting Foster Youth with Virtual Coaches
Chronicle of Social Change – August 04, 2017
Harris proposes that Congress fund “a competitive pilot program” that would assign a virtual success coach to a foster youth between the ages of 14 and 18. She would boost the recruitment of talented coaches by offering student loan forgiveness incentives tied to service in the program.
US: Suicide rate hit 40-year peak among older teen girls in 2015 (Includes video)
Cable News Network – August 03, 2017
The suicide rate among girls between the ages of 15 and 19 reached a 40-year high in 2015, according to new data from the National Center for Health Statistics. In the shorter term, the suicide rate for those girls doubled between 2007 and 2015, the research indicates.
Report: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/deaths.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/03/health/teen-suicide-cdc-study-bn/index.html
Bulgaria: Refugee Children Caught in Bulgarian Limbo
Balkan Insight – August 03, 2017
While the number of refugees in Bulgaria has fallen significantly, some refugee children still have little or no access to adequate care. Out of the 1,639 asylum seekers currently being housed in Bulgarian refugee centres, 605 are children, according to the State Agency of Refugees, and NGOs warn that a large proportion of the child refugees have no access to social and educational services, with the problem particularly pronounced among unaccompanied minors.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/refugee-children-caught-in-bulgarian-limbo-08-03-2017
India: WCD Ministry developed Standard Operating Procedure for tracking and rehabilitation of missing children
India Education Diary – August 05, 2017
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for tracing of missing children. The SOP for tracing of missing children is in consonance with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules 2016 framed under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children), Act, 2015.
International: Tyler and Both Ends Burning announce Honduras as new partner (Press release)
COMTEX News Network – August 06, 2017
Tyler Technologies, Inc. and non-profit Both Ends Burning have announced that Honduras is the most recent country to join its list of partners using a software-based registry called Children First Software to support child welfare. Both Ends Burning, a change agent dedicated to bringing attention and solutions to the challenges facing orphans in developing nations, partnered with Tyler Technologies to develop Children First Software. The technology helps government agencies build, maintain, and manage accurate records of a child’s identification, medical conditions, and other details for matching the child with their forever family.
http://predictwallstreet.com/News/Story.aspx?StoryID=5a7daba0bddd0761
Jordan: More Syrian child brides in Jordan amid poverty, uncertainty
Associated Press – August 07, 2017
Figures from Jordan’s population census document the long suspected increase for the first time. In 2015, brides between the ages of 13 and 17 made up almost 44 percent of all Syrian females in Jordan getting married that year, compared to 33 percent in 2010. With Syrians expected to remain in exile for years, it’s a harmful trend for refugees and their overburdened host country, U.N. and Jordanian officials say.
United Kingdom: Post-Brexit Side Effects: Refugee Children Could Be Separated from Family
EU Bulletin – August 07, 2017
The head of UNICEF UK Mike Penrose warned that refugee children could be separated from their families permanently unless the British government includes family reunification in post-Brexit immigration law. Refugees currently have the right to be reunited with extended family members under the EU’s Dublin III regulation but the UK’s own legislation covers only children and their parents. In practice, this means that any orphan children cannot reach siblings, grandparents or aunts and uncles.
Vietnam: Vice President: Vietnam pledges to ensure rights of children
Vietnam Plus – August 04, 2017
While receiving Chief Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Youssouf Abdel-Jelil in Hanoi on August 4, Thinh asked the UNICEF to continue its support to Vietnam in preventing child abuse, protecting children from injuries, and aiding children of disadvantaged families, especially in remote, border, sea and island areas, in addition to reducing the proportion of children with disabilities and congenital heart disease.
http://en.vietnamplus.vn/vice-president-vietnam-pledges-to-ensure-rights-of-children/115872.vnp
US: Trump Travel Ban Not a ‘Significant Barrier’ to Overseas Adoption Efforts, Says Expert (Includes video)
Christian Post – August 03, 2017
Despite recent reports, President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban is not creating a major barrier for American parents to adopt children from overseas, says the head of a coalition aimed at helping orphans.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/trump-travel-ban-not-significant-barrier-overseas-adoption-194128/
US: AG Sessions launches Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit with north Alabama as a focus
WHNT 19 – August 02, 2017
The United States Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that it will launch a new pilot program to ” utilize data to help combat the devastating opioid crisis that is ravaging families and communities across America.” The Northern District of Alabama will be one of twelve areas of focus.
Australia: Sensitive details of vulnerable children in care released in department bungle
Melbourne Age – August 04, 2017
The personal details of children in care, including whether they were sexually active, was accidentally sent to the mother of one of the children in a troubling information breach. A spreadsheet was emailed to the mother outlining the name, birthdate, location, and specific concerns and alerts relating to all children in the care of a large service provider in a regional Victorian city.
US: The Problem With Penalizing Women Who Drink While Pregnant (Opinion)
Glamour Magazine – August 02, 2017
A new study, published today in Alcohol and Alcoholism, is the first published piece in a large-scale project examining state-level policies regarding alcohol use during pregnancy. Researchers looked at the prevalence of these policies, the different kinds of policies that exist, their correlation to reproductive rights laws, and will eventually put together a comprehensive analysis of when and how policies can effectively combat the public health crisis of alcohol use during pregnancy.
Study: Forty Years of State Alcohol and Pregnancy Policies in the USA: Best Practices for Public Health or Efforts to Restrict Women’s Reproductive Rights?: https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/alcalc/agx047/4041343/Forty-Years-of-State-Alcohol-and-Pregnancy?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Information Gateway resource: Substance Use Treatment for Pregnant and Parenting Women: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/bhw/treatment/women/
https://www.glamour.com/story/the-problem-with-penalizing-women-who-drink-while-pregnant
US: Native American Students In Crisis: Punitive discipline, substandard curricula put Native American students at risk (Opinion)
Nation – July 24, 2017
The roots of the current crisis in American Indian education were planted 138 years ago, when the great-great-great-grandparents of today’s students were children. Seen as an enlightened alternative to genocide, the federal government and a network of churches created hundreds of Indian boarding schools intended to assimilate Native Americans and eradicate their culture. If Native parents didn’t send their children away to these schools, agents of the Department of the Interior were authorized to arrest them or withhold food (provided in exchange for land), which for most families meant starvation.
https://www.thenation.com/article/left-behind/
Norway: Sørlandet can get a combined psychiatry and child welfare institution
Norway Today – August 02, 2017
According to a research report from NTNU, 76 per cent of children and adolescents in child welfare institutions have some form of mental disorder. This is one of the reasons why Horne and Health Minister Bent Høie (Conservatives) together wish for a pilot project involving establishment of so-called combined institutions. These are institutions where children in child welfare can receive mental health care as well.
http://norwaytoday.info/everyday/combined-psychiatry-and-child-welfare/
US: Our View: Law meant to protect tribal kids could put them in harm’s way
Havasu News-Herald – August 02, 2017
The appeal claims that applying the act to private cases such as the termination of parental rights accomplishes no legitimate government purpose and has the potential to cause harm by forcing parents to make efforts to reunify their children with people they consider unsafe. Indeed, the different standards would seem to make children in such cases more vulnerable to abuse than non-tribal children.
US: Child Welfare Ideas from the Experts #9: Standardized Registry of Maltreatment Reports
Chronicle of Social Change – August 01, 2017
Hora calls on Congress to move toward national standards for state child abuse and neglect registries, and a national aggregation of records from those registries. Hora’s plan would be for new minimum standards that include at least two following provisions. First, the second report for a child, and any subsequent one, must trigger a screening-in and an investigation. Second, records of all reports should be maintained for no fewer than 25 years, “or even indefinitely.”
US: Parents’ social media habits are teaching children the wrong lessons (Opinion)
Washington Post – July 31, 2017
Children are constantly absorbing messages from many sources, including parents. They mimic these observed behaviors in adolescence and adulthood. It is quite possible that parental (over) sharing has taught children that sharing another person’s personal pictures and stories is expected and appropriate. Indeed, many children spent their elementary school years with little recourse to their parents’ online sharing.
US: The vicious cycle of CPS intervention (Opinion)
San Francisco Bay View – July 29, 2017
For many children who have been abused, the trauma unfortunately does not end after Child Protective Services intervenes. Failure to Protect laws serve to remove these children from nonoffending parents, revictimizing the same children the system is supposed to safeguard by tearing them away from loving parents and effectively punishing domestic violence victims.
http://sfbayview.com/2017/07/the-vicious-cycle-of-cps-intervention/
International: The Importance of Intersectionality: Minority Mental Health and Foster Care
Human Rights Campaign – July 31, 2017
For too long, studies have documented racial disproportionality and disparity in adoption and foster care. We also know that research has shown that LGBTQ youth are over represented in the foster care system – many having faced family rejection around their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. When we look at the intersection of those identities –people of color identifying as LGBTQ with experiences in the foster care system–there is urgency in LGBTQ and racial inclusion and competency in mental health.
http://www.hrc.org/blog/the-importance-of-intersectionality-minority-mental-health-and-foster-care
Syrian Arab Republic: Whole of Syria Child Protection AOR 2017 Operational Strategy
UN Children’s Fund, Protection Cluster – July 31, 2017
The relentless violence and dire humanitarian situation in Syria are having a devastating impact on the protection of children of all ages. Grave child rights violations continue unabated with countless deaths and injuries due to the persistent use of explosive weapons in civilian areas. Children endure multiple protection risks and violations of their rights on a daily basis, including family separation, physical and sexual violence, military recruitment, torture, kidnapping, detention, limited access to basic services, child marriage, engagement in hazardous forms of labour, lack of birth certificates, and psychosocial distress.