Alternative care in Northwest Syria
World Vision and UNICEF
Highlights
Separation from caregivers continues to be a persistent issue in Northwest Syria (NWS), requiring an examination of alternative care provisions and procedures. The lack of comprehensive institutionalised child protection mechanisms in Syria prior to the war, the limited availability of child protection services and the more recent disintegration of social support structures has raised questions about alternative care provisions and associated protection mechanisms practiced in NWS. This assessment captures details of the current situation from the various stakeholders working with children in NWS. For the purpose of informing response plans and practices of the national and international organisations working with children in NWS, this assessment examines the existing child-care models in NWS, it includes the emerging child protection structure, ongoing care initiatives and alternative care practices and discusses in detail the concerns and emerging challenges for particularly vulnerable and underserved groups of children.
