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Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems Proposed Regional Core Indicators for East Asia and the Pacific

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Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems Proposed Regional Core Indicators for East Asia and the Pacific for East Asia and the Pacifi c UNICEF East Asia and Pacifi c Regional Offi ce 19 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 Thailand Tel: (66 2) 356-9499 Fax: (66 2) 280-3563 E-mail: [email protected] www.unicef.org/eapro 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 6 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM TOOLS Strengthening Child Protection Systems Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems Proposed Regional Core Indicators for East Asia and the Pacific 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 1 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems: Proposed Core Indicators for the East Asia and Pacific Region Strengthening Child Protection Systems Series: No 3 Cover photograph: © UNICEF/NYHQ2007/Palani Mohan © UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) 2012 Any part of this document may be freely reproduced with appropriate acknowledgement. Design and layout: Quo Keen (www.quo-global.com), Bangkok, Thailand Suggested Citation: United Nations Children’s Fund, Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems: Proposed Core Indicators for the East Asia and Pacific Region, Strengthening Child Protection Series No. 3., UNICEF EAPRO, Bangkok, 2012. ISBN: 978-974-685-137-4 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 2 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM Contents Foreword vii Acknowledgements ix Abbreviations x PART I. Introduction 1 Child protection indicators: From ‘issues’ to ‘governance systems’ 2 Governance system as ‘the missing middle’ between inputs and outcomes in child protection 5 How can this Indicator Framework be used? 7 The trade-off between quantitative measurements and qualitative assessments 9 Measuring diverse and complex systems with standardized indicators: Embracing the paradox 9 ‘Three golden rules about governance indicators’ 10 Qualitative assessments converted into scored rankings 11 What are the limitations in using this Indicator Framework? 13 How to apply this Indicator Framework in the context of decentralized governance systems? 16 How is child protection governance related to wider PFM or PAR reforms? 19 What could be the first practical steps to apply this Indicator Framework? 21 PART II. Domains and Indicators 23 Overview 24 Domain 1. Child protection policy framework 27 Indicator 1.1. Ratification of relevant UN conventions salient to children’s rights 28 Indicator 1.2. Domestic mechanisms to give effect to international instruments ratified by the country 28 Indicator 1.3. Extent of policy coordination for child protection 29 Indicator 1.4. Consistency of policy guidelines across levels of government 30 Indicator 1.5. Vitality of existing civil society for child protection 30 Indicator 1.6. Effective cooperation between the government and civil society for child protection 31 Indicator 1.7. National government support to civil society for child protection 32 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 3 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM Domain 2. Public financial management 33 Indicator 2.1. Credibility of budget allocations across child protection-related sectors 34 Indicator 2.2. Robustness of budget expenditure classification 34 Indicator 2.3. Transparency of inter-governmental fiscal relations for child protection 35 Indicator 2.4. Conduciveness of public financing framework to development of balanced and child-focused menu of child protection services 36 Indicator 2.5. Realistic inter-governmental financing of child protection programmes 36 Indicator 2.6. Multiyear perspective in fiscal planning, expenditure policy and budgeting 37 Indicator 2.7. Policy-based budgeting for child protection 38 Domain 3. Human resources child protection 39 Indicator 3.1. Regulation of requirements and standards for social work professionals 40 Indicator 3.2. Professional training for personnel working on child protection service delivery 41 Indicator 3.3. Government’s capacity to attract qualified child protection professionals 41 Indicator 3.4. Government’s capacity to retain qualified child protection professionals 42 Indicator 3.5. Diligence of staff working on child protection 42 Indicator 3.6. Overall size of civil service/public sector staff with responsibility for child protection (all social workers across all ministries, qualified and unqualified) 43 Indicator 3.7. Human resources dedicated to children and justice 43 Domain 4. Statistics and information 44 Indicator 4.1. Use of survey data on children at risk and in need of protection in the policy process 45 Indicator 4.2. Data analysis and evidence-based research for child protection 45 Indicator 4.3. Visibility of children in household surveys 46 Indicator 4.4. Quality and consistency of child protection information databases 47 Indicator 4.5. Source data are soundly based for capturing required information on child protection 47 Indicator 4.6. Data disaggregation 48 Indicator 4.7. Linkages between data producers and data users on child protection statistics 48 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 4 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM Domain 5. Child protection system coverage 49 Indicator 5.1. Effective support to children who are exposed to multiple risks from different sources 50 Indicator 5.2. Children and cash transfer programmes (social and financial programmes to help families prevent crisis and protect their children) 50 Indicator 5.3. Disaster preparedness 51 Domain 6. Surveillance, gate keeping, referral and quality assurance 52 Indicator 6.1. Comprehensiveness of surveillance mechanisms for preventing and detecting children at risk of abuse, neglect and violence 52 Indicator 6.2. Credibility of gate keeping and referral system for children detected as being at risk of harm, neglect and violence 53 Indicator 6.3. Credibility of inspection and quality assurance regime for social welfare services, labour and juvenile justice 53 Domain 7. Public Attitudes and Values 54 Indicator 7.1. Appreciation of importance of attitudes and values for child protection 54 Indicator 7.2. Consistent collection of evidence on outcomes for children 55 Indicator 7.3. Advocacy and awareness raising to combat harmful attitudes and practices 56 Annexes Annex 1. Framing the linkages between children’s rights, child protection and child well-being 55 Annex 2. Importance and difficulties of assessing the policy basis of a country’s budgeting for child protection 63 Annex 3. Proposed list of UN Conventions salient to children’s rights 73 Annex 4. References 74 Annex 5. Child protection governance indicators: Complete framework 78 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 5 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM 55-08-005_(001-012)_001-088 new22_STD.indd 6 8/23/55 BE 2:48 PM Foreword Child maltreatment – the physical, sexual and emotional abuse, exploitation and neglect of children – has been shown through the World Report on Violence and Health (2002) and the UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children (2006) to be widely prevalent in all societies. According to recent global data, more than one in four children worldwide reported having experienced severe and frequent physical abuse, while child sexual abuse was experienced by nearly one in five females and one in eleven males. Maltreatment can have profound and damaging consequences during childhood and adolescence and throughout adult life. Children who have experienced abuse or neglect are more likely to have poorer physical and/or mental health outcomes; social difficulties, such as insecure attachments with caregivers and problematic relationships with peers, and as adults later in life; cognitive dysfunction, attributable to the negative impact of excessive stress on brain development; high-risk behaviours, such as drug and alcohol abuse, early sexual activity and resulting teenage parenting; and behavioural problems, including aggression and adult criminality. In addition to addressing these crucial dimensions of children’s rights, investing in protecting children has a direct positive impact on a country’s human capital and economic growth and reduces the burden of government spending on the long-term consequences of abuse. National child protection systems are recognized as the most effective and sustainable means to protect children from all forms of maltreatment. The absence of such a system frequently leads to incomplete coverage, and to individual violations being addressed as separate, unrelated problems. UNICEF is strongly committed to working with partners to prevent and respond to child maltreatment. The Strengthening Child Protection System Series is a package of evidence and tools to support this effort in the East Asia and Pacific Region. It provides information and guidance on the scale and nature of child maltreatment, the immediate and long-term costs of such maltreatment to individuals, families and society, and effective and sustainable policies and programmes for child protection. The series is intended to contribute to an enhanced evidence base for rights-based interventions and the development of strong child protection systems in countries across the region. In order to develop the evidence base and advocate for the strengthening of national child protection systems, governments and their partners require accurate, regular and up-to-date data and information on how such systems are functioning. The lack of regularly collected and analysed data on child protection across the region is notable, and the information that is gathered is often not validated, nor indicative of national progress achieved in preventing and responding to child abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation. This publication, number 3 in the series, proposes a framework
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