International Child Welfare

International child welfare systems are policies and practices that focus largely on the context of children and youth living outside of permanent parental care with an emphasis on the overall well-being and rights of those children. In general, child welfare policies and programs typically promote the health and safety of children, protecting them from exploitation, abuse and neglect, violence, trafficking, and child labor. This often revolves around creating family care alternatives that protect children and youth. This entry describes the continuum of these efforts, including prevention, intervention, and reunification policies and practices and what steps are needed to create such a modern child welfare system.

International child welfare is relevant to life-span development because there is a growing body of evidence that many children, youth, and ...