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United Nations A/RES/64/142*

Distr.: General

General Assembly 24 February 2010

Sixty-fourth session

Agenda item 64

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2009

[on the report of the Third Committee (A/64/434)]

64/142. Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children

The General Assembly,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1 and the Convention0F

on the Rights of the Child, 2 and celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the

1F

Convention in 2009,

Reaffirming also all previous resolutions on the rights of the child of the

Human Rights Council, the Commission on Human Rights and the General

Assembly, the most recent being Council resolutions 7/29 of 28 March 2008, 3 9/13 2F

of 24 September 2008 4 and 10/8 of 26 March 2009 5 and Assembly resolution 63/241

3F 4F

of 24 December 2008,

Considering that the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, the text

of which is annexed to the present resolution, set out desirable orientations for

policy and practice with the intention of enhancing the implementation of the

Convention on the Rights of the Child and of relevant provisions of other

international instruments regarding the protection and well-being of children

deprived of parental care or who are at risk of being so,

1. Welcomes the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, as

contained in the annex to the present resolution, as a set of orientations to help to

inform policy and practice;

2. Encourages States to take the Guidelines into account and to bring them

to the attention of the relevant executive, legislative and judiciary bodies of

government, human rights defenders and lawyers, the media and the public in

general;

_______________

• Reissued for technical reasons on 13 April 2010.

1

Resolution 217 A (III).

2

United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531.

3

See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-third Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/63/53), chap. II.

4

Ibid., Supplement No. 53A (A/63/53/Add.1), chap. I.

5

Ibid., Sixty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/64/53), chap. II, sect. A.

09-47035*

Please rec cle ♲

*0947035*

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3. Requests the Secretary-General, within existing resources, to take steps

to disseminate the Guidelines in all the official languages of the United Nations,

including by transmitting them to all Member States, regional commissions and

relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

65th plenary meeting

18 December 2009

Annex

Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children

I. Purpose

1. The present Guidelines are intended to enhance the implementation of the

Convention on the Rights of the Child2 and of relevant provisions of other

0H

international instruments regarding the protection and well-being of children who

are deprived of parental care or who are at risk of being so.

2. Against the background of these international instruments and taking account

of the developing body of knowledge and experience in this sphere, the Guidelines

set out desirable orientations for policy and practice. They are designed for wide

dissemination among all sectors directly or indirectly concerned with issues relating

to alternative care, and seek in particular:

(a) To support efforts to keep children in, or return them to, the care of their

family or, failing this, to find another appropriate and permanent solution, including

adoption and kafala of Islamic law;

(b) To ensure that, while such permanent solutions are being sought, or in

cases where they are not possible or are not in the best interests of the child, the

most suitable forms of alternative care are identified and provided, under conditions

that promote the child’s full and harmonious development;

(c) To assist and encourage Governments to better implement their

responsibilities and obligations in these respects, bearing in mind the economic,

social and cultural conditions prevailing in each State; and

(d) To guide policies, decisions and activities of all concerned with social

protection and child welfare in both the public and the private sectors, including

civil society.

II. General principles and perspectives

A. The child and the family

3. The family being the fundamental group of society and the natural

environment for the growth, well-being and protection of children, efforts should

primarily be directed to enabling the child to remain in or return to the care of

his/her parents, or when appropriate, other close family members. The State should

ensure that families have access to forms of support in the caregiving role.

4. Every child and young person should live in a supportive, protective and

caring environment that promotes his/her full potential. Children with inadequate or

no parental care are at special risk of being denied such a nurturing environment.

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5. Where the child’s own family is unable, even with appropriate support, to

provide adequate care for the child, or abandons or relinquishes the child, the State

is responsible for protecting the rights of the child and ensuring appropriate

alternative care, with or through competent local authorities and duly authorized

civil society organizations. It is the role of the State, through its competent

authorities, to ensure the supervision of the safety, well-being and development of

any child placed in alternative care and the regular review of the appropriateness of

the care arrangement provided.

6. All decisions, initiatives and approaches falling within the scope of the present

Guidelines should be made on a case-by-case basis, with a view, notably, to

ensuring the child’s safety and security, and must be grounded in the best interests

and rights of the child concerned, in conformity with the principle of

non-discrimination and taking due account of the gender perspective. They should

respect fully the child’s right to be consulted and to have his/her views duly taken

into account in accordance with his/her evolving capacities, and on the basis of

his/her access to all necessary information. Every effort should be made to enable

such consultation and information provision to be carried out in the child’s preferred

language.

7. In applying the present Guidelines, determination of the best interests of the

child shall be designed to identify courses of action for children deprived of parental

care, or at risk of being so, that are best suited to satisfying their needs and rights,

taking into account the full and personal development of their rights in their family,

social and cultural environment and their status as subjects of rights, both at the

time of the determination and in the longer term. The determination process should

take account of, inter alia, the right of the child to be heard and to have his/her

views taken into account in accordance with his/her age and maturity.

8. States should develop and implement comprehensive child welfare and

protection policies within the framework of their overall social and human

development policy, with attention to the improvement of existing alternative care

provision, reflecting the principles contained in the present Guidelines.

9. As part of efforts to prevent the separation of children from their parents,

States should seek to ensure appropriate and culturally sensitive measures:

(a) To support family caregiving environments whose capacities are limited

by factors such as disability, drug and alcohol misuse, discrimination against

families with indigenous or minority backgrounds, and living in armed conflict

regions or under foreign occupation;

(b) To provide appropriate care and protection for vulnerable children, such

as child victims of abuse and exploitation, abandoned children, children living on

the street, children born out of wedlock, unaccompanied and separated children,

internally displaced and refugee children, children of migrant workers, children of

asylum-seekers, or children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and other serious

illnesses.

10. Special efforts should be made to tackle discrimination on the basis of any

status of the child or parents, including poverty, ethnicity, religion, sex, mental and

physical disability, HIV/AIDS or other serious illnesses, whether physical or mental,

birth out of wedlock, and socio-economic stigma, and all other statuses and

circumstances that can give rise to relinquishment, abandonment and/or removal of

a child.

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B. Alternative care

11. All decisions concerning alternative care should take full account of the

desirability, in principle, of maintaining the child as close as possible to his/her

habitual place of residence, in order to facilitate contact and potential reintegration

with his/her family and to minimize disruption of his/her educational, cultural and

social life.

12. Decisions regarding children in alternative care, including those in informal

care, should have due regard for the importance of ensuring children a stable home

and of meeting their basic need for safe and continuous attachment to their

caregivers, with permanency generally being a key goal.

13. Children must be treated with dignity and respect at all times and must benefit

from effective protection from abuse, neglect and all forms of exploitation, whether

on the part of care providers, peers or third parties, in whatever care setting they

may find themselves.

14. Removal of a child from the care of the family should be seen as a measure of

last resort and should, whenever possible, be temporary and for the shortest possible

duration. Removal decisions should be regularly reviewed and the child’s return to

parental care, once the original causes of removal have been resolved or have

disappeared, should be in the best interests of the child, in keeping with the

assessment foreseen in paragraph 49 below.

15. Financial and material poverty, or conditions directly and uniquely imputable

to such poverty, should never be the only justification for the removal of a child

from parental care, for receiving a child into alternative care, or for preventing

his/her reintegration, but should be seen as a signal for the need to provide

appropriate support to the family.

16. Attention must be paid to promoting and safeguarding all other rights of

special pertinence to the situation of children without parental care, including, but

not limited to, access to education, health and other basic services, the right to

identity, freedom of religion or belief, language and protection of property and

inheritance rights.

17. Siblings with existing bonds should in principle not be separated by

placements in alternative care unless there is a clear risk of abuse or other

justification in the best interests of the child. In any case, every effort should be

made to enable siblings to maintain contact with each other, unless this is against

their wishes or interests.

18. Recognizing that, in most countries, the majority of children without parental

care are looked after informally by relatives or others, States should seek to devise

appropriate means, consistent with the present Guidelines, to ensure their welfare

and protection while in such informal care arrangements, with due respect for

cultural, economic, gender and religious differences and practices that do not

conflict with the rights and best interests of the child.

19. No child should be without the support and protection of a legal guardian or

other recognized responsible adult or competent public body at any time.

20. The provision of alternative care should never be undertaken with a prime

purpose of furthering the political, religious or economic goals of the providers.

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21. The use of residential care should be limited to cases where such a setting is

specifically appropriate, necessary and constructive for the individual child

concerned and in his/her best interests.

22. In accordance with the predominant opinion of experts, alternative care for

young children, especially those under the age of 3 years, should be provided in

family-based settings. Exceptions to this principle may be warranted in order to

prevent the separation of siblings and in cases where the placement is of an

emergency nature or is for a predetermined and very limited duration, with planned

family reintegration or other appropriate long-term care solution as its outcome.

23. While recognizing that residential care facilities and family-based care

complement each other in meeting the needs of children, where large residential

care facilities (institutions) remain, alternatives should be developed in the context

of an overall deinstitutionalization strategy, with precise goals and objectives, which

will allow for their progressive elimination. To this end, States should establish care

standards to ensure the quality and conditions that are conducive to the child’s

development, such as individualized and small-group care, and should evaluate

existing facilities against these standards. Decisions regarding the establishment of,

or permission to establish, new residential care facilities, whether public or private,

should take full account of this deinstitutionalization objective and strategy.

Measures to promote application

24. States should, to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where

appropriate, within the framework of development cooperation, allocate human and

financial resources to ensure the optimal and progressive implementation of the

present Guidelines throughout their respective territories in a timely manner. States

should facilitate active cooperation among all relevant authorities and the

mainstreaming of child and family welfare issues within all ministries directly or

indirectly concerned.

25. States are responsible for determining any need for, and requesting,

international cooperation in implementing the present Guidelines. Such requests

should be given due consideration and should receive a favourable response

wherever possible and appropriate. The enhanced implementation of the present

Guidelines should figure in development cooperation programmes. When providing

assistance to a State, foreign entities should abstain from any initiative inconsistent

with the Guidelines.

26. Nothing in the present Guidelines should be interpreted as encouraging or

condoning lower standards than those that may exist in given States, including in

their legislation. Similarly, competent authorities, professional organizations and

others are encouraged to develop national or professionally specific guidelines that

build upon the letter and spirit of the present Guidelines.

III. Scope of the Guidelines

27. The present Guidelines apply to the appropriate use and conditions of

alternative formal care for all persons under the age of 18 years, unless, under the

law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier. Only where indicated do the

Guidelines also apply to informal care settings, having due regard for both the

important role played by the extended family and the community and the obligations

of States for all children not in the care of their parents or legal and customary

caregivers, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.2

1H

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28. Principles in the present Guidelines are also applicable, as appropriate, to

young persons already in alternative care and who need continuing care or support

for a transitional period after reaching the age of majority under applicable law.

29. For the purposes of the present Guidelines, and subject, notably, to the

exceptions listed in paragraph 30 below, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) Children without parental care: all children not in the overnight care of at

least one of their parents, for whatever reason and under whatever circumstances.

Children without parental care who are outside their country of habitual residence or

victims of emergency situations may be designated as:

(i) “Unaccompanied” if they are not cared for by another relative or an adult

who by law or custom is responsible for doing so; or

(ii) “Separated” if they are separated from a previous legal or customary

primary caregiver, but who may nevertheless be accompanied by another

relative;

(b) Alternative care may take the form of:

(i) Informal care: any private arrangement provided in a family

environment, whereby the child is looked after on an ongoing or indefinite

basis by relatives or friends (informal kinship care) or by others in their

individual capacity, at the initiative of the child, his/her parents or other person

without this arrangement having been ordered by an administrative or judicial

authority or a duly accredited body;

(ii) Formal care: all care provided in a family environment which has been

ordered by a competent administrative body or judicial authority, and all care

provided in a residential environment, including in private facilities, whether

or not as a result of administrative or judicial measures;

(c) With respect to the environment where it is provided, alternative care

may be:

(i) Kinship care: family-based care within the child’s extended family or

with close friends of the family known to the child, whether formal or informal

in nature;

(ii) Foster care: situations where children are placed by a competent

authority for the purpose of alternative care in the domestic environment of a

family other than the children’s own family that has been selected, qualified,

approved and supervised for providing such care;

(iii) Other forms of family-based or family-like care placements;

(iv) Residential care: care provided in any non-family-based group setting,

such as places of safety for emergency care, transit centres in emergency

situations, and all other short- and long-term residential care facilities,

including group homes;

(v) Supervised independent living arrangements for children;

(d) With respect to those responsible for alternative care:

(i) Agencies are the public or private bodies and services that organize

alternative care for children;

(ii) Facilities are the individual public or private establishments that provide

residential care for children.

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30. The scope of alternative care as foreseen in the present Guidelines does not

extend, however, to:

(a) Persons under the age of 18 years who are deprived of their liberty by

decision of a judicial or administrative authority as a result of being alleged as,

accused of or recognized as having infringed the law, and whose situation is covered

by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile

Justice 6 and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of

5F

Their Liberty; 7 6F

(b) Care by adoptive parents from the moment the child concerned is

effectively placed in their custody pursuant to a final adoption order, as of which

moment, for the purposes of the present Guidelines, the child is considered to be in

parental care. The Guidelines are, however, applicable to pre-adoption or

probationary placement of a child with the prospective adoptive parents, as far as

they are compatible with requirements governing such placements as stipulated in

other relevant international instruments;

(c) Informal arrangements whereby a child voluntarily stays with relatives or

friends for recreational purposes and reasons not connected with the parents’ general

inability or unwillingness to provide adequate care.

31. Competent authorities and others concerned are also encouraged to make use

of the present Guidelines, as applicable, at boarding schools, hospitals, centres for

children with mental and physical disabilities or other special needs, camps, the

workplace and other places which may be responsible for the care of children.

IV. Preventing the need for alternative care

A. Promoting parental care

32. States should pursue policies that ensure support for families in meeting their

responsibilities towards the child and promote the right of the child to have a

relationship with both parents. These policies should address the root causes of child

abandonment, relinquishment and separation of the child from his/her family by

ensuring, inter alia, the right to birth registration, and access to adequate housing

and to basic health, education and social welfare services, as well as by promoting

measures to combat poverty, discrimination, marginalization, stigmatization,

violence, child maltreatment and sexual abuse, and substance abuse.

33. States should develop and implement consistent and mutually reinforcing

family-oriented policies designed to promote and strengthen parents’ ability to care

for their children.

34. States should implement effective measures to prevent child abandonment,

relinquishment and separation of the child from his/her family. Social policies and

programmes should, inter alia, empower families with attitudes, skills, capacities

and tools to enable them to provide adequately for the protection, care and

development of their children. The complementary capacities of the State and civil

society, including non-governmental and community-based organizations, religious

_______________

6

Resolution 40/33, annex.

7

Resolution 45/113, annex.

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leaders and the media should be engaged to this end. These social protection

measures should include:

(a) Family strengthening services, such as parenting courses and sessions,

the promotion of positive parent-child relationships, conflict resolution skills,

opportunities for employment and income generation and, where required, social

assistance;

(b) Supportive social services, such as day care, mediation and conciliation

services, substance abuse treatment, financial assistance, and services for parents

and children with disabilities. Such services, preferably of an integrated and

non-intrusive nature, should be directly accessible at the community level and

should actively involve the participation of families as partners, combining their

resources with those of the community and the carer;

(c) Youth policies aiming at empowering youth to face positively the

challenges of everyday life, including when they decide to leave the parental home,

and preparing future parents to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and

reproductive health and to fulfil their responsibilities in this respect.

35. Various complementary methods and techniques should be used for family

support, varying throughout the process of support, such as home visits, group

meetings with other families, case conferences and securing commitments by the

family concerned. They should be directed towards both facilitating intrafamilial

relationships and promoting the family’s integration within its community.

36. Special attention should be paid, in accordance with local laws, to the

provision and promotion of support and care services for single and adolescent

parents and their children, whether or not born out of wedlock. States should ensure

that adolescent parents retain all rights inherent to their status both as parents and as

children, including access to all appropriate services for their own development,

allowances to which parents are entitled, and their inheritance rights. Measures

should be adopted to ensure the protection of pregnant adolescents and to guarantee

that they do not interrupt their studies. Efforts should also be made to reduce the

stigma attached to single and adolescent parenthood.

37. Support and services should be available to siblings who have lost their

parents or caregivers and choose to remain together in their household, to the extent

that the eldest sibling is both willing and deemed capable of acting as the household

head. States should ensure, including through the appointment of a legal guardian, a

recognized responsible adult or, where appropriate, a public body legally mandated

to act as guardian, as stipulated in paragraph 19 above, that such households benefit

from mandatory protection from all forms of exploitation and abuse, and

supervision and support on the part of the local community and its competent

services, such as social workers, with particular concern for the children’s health,

housing, education and inheritance rights. Special attention should be given to

ensuring that the head of such a household retains all rights inherent to his/her child

status, including access to education and leisure, in addition to his/her rights as a

household head.

38. States should ensure opportunities for day care, including all-day schooling,

and respite care which would enable parents better to cope with their overall

responsibilities towards the family, including additional responsibilities inherent in

caring for children with special needs.

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Preventing family separation

39. Proper criteria based on sound professional principles should be developed and

consistently applied for assessing the child’s and the family’s situation, including

the family’s actual and potential capacity to care for the child, in cases where the

competent authority or agency has reasonable grounds to believe that the well-being

of the child is at risk.

40. Decisions regarding removal or reintegration should be based on this

assessment and should be made by suitably qualified and trained professionals, on

behalf of or authorized by a competent authority, in full consultation with all

concerned and bearing in mind the need to plan for the child’s future.

41. States are encouraged to adopt measures for the integral protection and

guarantee of rights during pregnancy, birth and the breastfeeding period, in order to

ensure conditions of dignity and equality for the adequate development of the

pregnancy and the care of the child. Therefore, support programmes should be

provided to future mothers and fathers, particularly adolescent parents, who have

difficulty exercising their parental responsibilities. Such programmes should aim at

empowering mothers and fathers to exercise their parental responsibilities in

conditions of dignity and at avoiding their being induced to surrender their child

because of their vulnerability.

42. When a child is relinquished or abandoned, States should ensure that this may

take place in conditions of confidentiality and safety for the child, respecting his/her

right to access information on his/her origins where appropriate and possible under

the law of the State.

43. States should formulate clear policies to address situations where a child has

been abandoned anonymously, which indicate whether and how family tracing

should be undertaken and reunification or placement within the extended family

pursued. Policies should also allow for timely decision-making on the child’s

eligibility for permanent family placement and for arranging such placements

expeditiously.

44. When a public or private agency or facility is approached by a parent or legal

guardian wishing to relinquish a child permanently, the State should ensure that the

family receives counselling and social support to encourage and enable them to

continue to care for the child. If this fails, a social worker or other appropriate

professional assessment should be undertaken to determine whether there are other

family members who wish to take permanent responsibility for the child, and

whether such arrangements would be in the best interests of the child. Where such

arrangements are not possible or are not in the best interests of the child, efforts

should be made to find a permanent family placement within a reasonable period.

45. When a public or private agency or facility is approached by a parent or

caregiver wishing to place a child in care for a short or indefinite period, the State

should ensure the availability of counselling and social support to encourage and

enable him or her to continue to care for the child. A child should be admitted to

alternative care only when such efforts have been exhausted and acceptable and

justified reasons for entry into care exist.

46. Specific training should be provided to teachers and others working with

children in order to help them to identify situations of abuse, neglect, exploitation or

risk of abandonment and to refer such situations to competent bodies.

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47. Any decision to remove a child against the will of his/her parents must be

made by competent authorities, in accordance with applicable law and procedures

and subject to judicial review, the parents being assured the right of appeal and

access to appropriate legal representation.

48. When the child’s sole or main carer may be the subject of deprivation of

liberty as a result of preventive detention or sentencing decisions, non-custodial

remand measures and sentences should be taken in appropriate cases wherever

possible, the best interests of the child being given due consideration. States should

take into account the best interests of the child when deciding whether to remove

children born in prison and children living in prison with a parent. The removal of

such children should be treated in the same way as other instances where separation

is considered. Best efforts should be made to ensure that children remaining in

custody with their parent benefit from adequate care and protection, while

guaranteeing their own status as free individuals and access to activities in the

community.

B. Promoting family reintegration

49. In order to prepare and support the child and the family for his/her possible

return to the family, his/her situation should be assessed by a duly designated

individual or team with access to multidisciplinary advice, in consultation with the

different actors involved (the child, the family, the alternative caregiver), so as to

decide whether the reintegration of the child in the family is possible and in the best

interests of the child, which steps this would involve and under whose supervision.

50. The aims of the reintegration and the family’s and alternative caregiver’s

principal tasks in this respect should be set out in writing and agreed on by all

concerned.

51. Regular and appropriate contact between the child and his/her family

specifically for the purpose of reintegration should be developed, supported and

monitored by the competent body.

52. Once decided, the reintegration of the child in his/her family should be

designed as a gradual and supervised process, accompanied by follow-up and

support measures that take account of the child’s age, needs and evolving capacities,

as well as the cause of the separation.

V. Framework of care provision

53. In order to meet the specific psychoemotional, social and other needs of each

child without parental care, States should take all necessary measures to ensure that

the legislative, policy and financial conditions exist to provide for adequate

alternative care options, with priority to family- and community-based solutions.

54. States should ensure the availability of a range of alternative care options,

consistent with the general principles of the present Guidelines, for emergency,

short-term and long-term care.

55. States should ensure that all entities and individuals engaged in the provision

of alternative care for children receive due authorization to do so from a competent

authority and are subject to regular monitoring and review by the latter in keeping

with the present Guidelines. To this end, these authorities should develop

appropriate criteria for assessing the professional and ethical fitness of care

providers and for their accreditation, monitoring and supervision.

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56. With regard to informal care arrangements for the child, whether within the

extended family, with friends or with other parties, States should, where appropriate,

encourage such carers to notify the competent authorities accordingly so that they

and the child may receive any necessary financial and other support that would

promote the child’s welfare and protection. Where possible and appropriate, States

should encourage and enable informal caregivers, with the consent of the child and

parents concerned, to formalize the care arrangement after a suitable lapse of time,

to the extent that the arrangement has proved to be in the best interests of the child

to date and is expected to continue in the foreseeable future.

VI. Determination of the most appropriate form of care

57. Decision-making on alternative care in the best interests of the child should

take place through a judicial, administrative or other adequate and recognized

procedure, with legal safeguards, including, where appropriate, legal representation

on behalf of children in any legal proceedings. It should be based on rigorous

assessment, planning and review, through established structures and mechanisms,

and should be carried out on a case-by-case basis, by suitably qualified

professionals in a multidisciplinary team, wherever possible. It should involve full

consultation at all stages with the child, according to his/her evolving capacities,

and with his/her parents or legal guardians. To this end, all concerned should be

provided with the necessary information on which to base their opinion. States

should make every effort to provide adequate resources and channels for the training

and recognition of the professionals responsible for determining the best form of

care so as to facilitate compliance with these provisions.

58. Assessment should be carried out expeditiously, thoroughly and carefully. It

should take into account the child’s immediate safety and well-being, as well as

his/her longer-term care and development, and should cover the child’s personal and

developmental characteristics, ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious background,

family and social environment, medical history and any special needs.

59. The resulting initial and review reports should be used as essential tools for

planning decisions from the time of their acceptance by the competent authorities

onwards, with a view to, inter alia, avoiding undue disruption and contradictory

decisions.

60. Frequent changes in care setting are detrimental to the child’s development

and ability to form attachments, and should be avoided. Short-term placements

should aim at enabling an appropriate permanent solution to be arranged.

Permanency for the child should be secured without undue delay through

reintegration in his/her nuclear or extended family or, if this is not possible, in an

alternative stable family setting or, where paragraph 21 above applies, in stable and

appropriate residential care.

61. Planning for care provision and permanency should be carried out from the

earliest possible time, ideally before the child enters care, taking into account the

immediate and longer-term advantages and disadvantages of each option considered,

and should comprise short- and long-term propositions.

62. Planning for care provision and permanency should be based on, notably, the

nature and quality of the child’s attachment to his/her family, the family’s capacity

to safeguard the child’s well-being and harmonious development, the child’s need or

desire to feel part of a family, the desirability of the child remaining within his/her

community and country, the child’s cultural, linguistic and religious background,

and the child’s relationships with siblings, with a view to avoiding their separation.

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63. The plan should clearly state, inter alia, the goals of the placement and the

measures to achieve them.

64. The child and his/her parents or legal guardians should be fully informed about

the alternative care options available, the implications of each option and their

rights and obligations in the matter.

65. The preparation, enforcement and evaluation of a protective measure for a

child should be carried out, to the greatest extent possible, with the participation of

his/her parents or legal guardians and potential foster carers and caregivers, with

respect to his/her particular needs, convictions and special wishes. At the request of

the child, parents or legal guardians, other important persons in the child’s life may

also be consulted in any decision-making process, at the discretion of the competent

authority.

66. States should ensure that any child who has been placed in alternative care by

a properly constituted court, tribunal or administrative or other competent body, as

well as his/her parents or others with parental responsibility, are given the

opportunity to make representations on the placement decision before a court, are

informed of their rights to make such representations and are assisted in doing so.

67. States should ensure the right of any child who has been placed in temporary

care to regular and thorough review – preferably at least every three months – of the

appropriateness of his/her care and treatment, taking into account, notably, his/her

personal development and any changing needs, developments in his/her family

environment, and the adequacy and necessity of the current placement in these

circumstances. The review should be carried out by duly qualified and authorized

persons, and should fully involve the child and all relevant persons in the child’s life.

68. The child should be prepared for all changes of care settings resulting from the

planning and review processes.

VII. Provision of alternative care

A. Policies

69. It is a responsibility of the State or appropriate level of government to ensure

the development and implementation of coordinated policies regarding formal and

informal care for all children who are without parental care. Such policies should be

based on sound information and statistical data. They should define a process for

determining who has responsibility for a child, taking into account the role of the

child’s parents or principal caregivers in his/her protection, care and development.

Presumptive responsibility, unless shown to be otherwise, is with the child’s parents

or principal caregivers.

70. All State entities involved in the referral of, and assistance to, children without

parental care, in cooperation with civil society, should adopt policies and procedures

which favour information-sharing and networking between agencies and individuals

in order to ensure effective care, aftercare and protection for these children. The

location and/or design of the agency responsible for the oversight of alternative care

should be established so as to maximize its accessibility to those who require the

services provided.

71. Special attention should be paid to the quality of alternative care provision,

both in residential and in family-based care, in particular with regard to the

professional skills, selection, training and supervision of carers. Their role and

functions should be clearly defined and clarified with respect to those of the child’s

parents or legal guardians.

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72. In each country, the competent authorities should draw up a document setting

out the rights of children in alternative care in keeping with the present Guidelines.

Children in alternative care should be enabled to understand fully the rules,

regulations and objectives of the care setting and their rights and obligations therein.

73. All alternative care provision should be based on a written statement of the

provider’s aims and objectives in providing the service and the nature of the

provider’s responsibilities to the child that reflects the standards set by the

Convention on the Rights of the Child,2 the present Guidelines and applicable law.

2H

All providers should be appropriately qualified or approved in accordance with legal

requirements to provide alternative care services.

74. A regulatory framework should be established to ensure a standard process for

the referral or admission of a child to an alternative care setting.

75. Cultural and religious practices regarding the provision of alternative care,

including those related to gender perspectives, should be respected and promoted to

the extent that they can be shown to be consistent with the rights and best interests

of the children. The process of considering whether such practices should be

promoted should be carried out in a broadly participatory way, involving the cultural

and religious leaders concerned, professionals and those caring for children without

parental care, parents and other relevant stakeholders, as well as the children

themselves.

1. Informal care

76. With a view to ensuring that appropriate conditions of care are met in informal

care provided by individuals or families, States should recognize the role played by

this type of care and take adequate measures to support its optimal provision on the

basis of an assessment of which particular settings may require special assistance or

oversight.

77. Competent authorities should, where appropriate, encourage informal carers to

notify the care arrangement and should seek to ensure their access to all available

services and benefits likely to assist them in discharging their duty to care for and

protect the child.

78. The State should recognize the de facto responsibility of informal carers for

the child.

79. States should devise special and appropriate measures designed to protect

children in informal care from abuse, neglect, child labour and all other forms of

exploitation, with particular attention to informal care provided by non-relatives, or

by relatives previously unknown to the children or living far from the children’s

habitual place of residence.

2. General conditions applying to all forms of formal alternative care

arrangements

80. The transfer of a child into alternative care should be carried out with the

utmost sensitivity and in a child-friendly manner, in particular involving specially

trained and, in principle, non-uniformed personnel.

81. When a child is placed in alternative care, contact with his/her family, as well

as with other persons close to him or her, such as friends, neighbours and previous

carers, should be encouraged and facilitated, in keeping with the child’s protection

and best interests. The child should have access to information on the situation of

his/her family members in the absence of contact with them.

13

A/RES/64/142

82. States should pay special attention to ensuring that children in alternative care

because of parental imprisonment or prolonged hospitalization have the opportunity

to maintain contact with their parents and receive any necessary counselling and

support in that regard.

83. Carers should ensure that children receive adequate amounts of wholesome

and nutritious food in accordance with local dietary habits and relevant dietary

standards, as well as with the children’s religious beliefs. Appropriate nutritional

supplementation should also be provided when necessary.

84. Carers should promote the health of the children for whom they are

responsible and make arrangements to ensure that medical care, counselling and

support are made available as required.

85. Children should have access to formal, non-formal and vocational education in

accordance with their rights, to the maximum extent possible in educational

facilities in the local community.

86. Carers should ensure that the right of every child, including children with

disabilities, living with or affected by HIV/AIDS or having any other special needs,

to develop through play and leisure activities is respected and that opportunities for

such activities are created within and outside the care setting. Contact with the

children and others in the local community should be encouraged and facilitated.

87. The specific safety, health, nutritional, developmental and other needs of

babies and young children, including those with special needs, should be catered for

in all care settings, including ensuring their ongoing attachment to a specific carer.

88. Children should be allowed to satisfy the needs of their religious and spiritual

life, including by receiving visits from a qualified representative of their religion,

and to freely decide whether or not to participate in religious services, religious

education or counselling. The child’s own religious background should be respected,

and no child should be encouraged or persuaded to change his/her religion or belief

during a care placement.

89. All adults responsible for children should respect and promote the right to

privacy, including appropriate facilities for hygiene and sanitary needs, respecting

gender differences and interaction, and adequate, secure and accessible storage

space for personal possessions.

90. Carers should understand the importance of their role in developing positive,

safe and nurturing relationships with children, and should be able to do so.

91. Accommodation in all alternative care settings should meet the requirements

of health and safety.

92. States must ensure through their competent authorities that accommodation

provided to children in alternative care, and their supervision in such placements,

enable them to be effectively protected against abuse. Particular attention needs to

be paid to the age, maturity and degree of vulnerability of each child in determining

his/her living arrangements. Measures aimed at protecting children in care should be

in conformity with the law and should not involve unreasonable constraints on their

liberty and conduct in comparison with children of similar age in their community.

93. All alternative care settings should provide adequate protection to children

from abduction, trafficking, sale and all other forms of exploitation. Any consequent

constraints on their liberty and conduct should be no more than are strictly

necessary to ensure their effective protection from such acts.

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 A/RES/64/142

94. All carers should promote and encourage children and young people to

develop and exercise informed choices, taking account of acceptable risks and the

child’s age, and according to his/her evolving capacities.

95. States, agencies and facilities, schools and other community services should

take appropriate measures to ensure that children in alternative care are not

stigmatized during or after their placement. This should include efforts to minimize

the identification of children as being looked after in an alternative care setting.

96. All disciplinary measures and behaviour management constituting torture,

cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including closed or solitary confinement or

any other forms of physical or psychological violence that are likely to compromise

the physical or mental health of the child, must be strictly prohibited in conformity

with international human rights law. States must take all necessary measures to

prevent such practices and ensure that they are punishable by law. Restriction of

contact with members of the child’s family and other persons of special importance

to the child should never be used as a sanction.

97. Use of force and restraints of whatever nature should not be authorized unless

strictly necessary for safeguarding the child’s or others’ physical or psychological

integrity, in conformity with the law and in a reasonable and proportionate manner

and with respect for the fundamental rights of the child. Restraint by means of drugs

and medication should be based on therapeutic needs and should never be employed

without evaluation and prescription by a specialist.

98. Children in care should be offered access to a person of trust in whom they

may confide in total confidentiality. This person should be designated by the

competent authority with the agreement of the child concerned. The child should be

informed that legal or ethical standards may require breaching confidentiality under

certain circumstances.

99. Children in care should have access to a known, effective and impartial

mechanism whereby they can notify complaints or concerns regarding their

treatment or conditions of placement. Such mechanisms should include initial

consultation, feedback, implementation and further consultation. Young people with

previous care experience should be involved in this process, due weight being given

to their opinions. This process should be conducted by competent persons trained to

work with children and young people.

100. To promote the child’s sense of self-identity, a life story book comprising

appropriate information, pictures, personal objects and mementoes regarding each

step of the child’s life should be maintained with the child’s participation and made

available to the child throughout his/her life.

B. Legal responsibility for the child

101. In situations where the child’s parents are absent or are incapable of making

day-to-day decisions in the best interests of the child, and the child’s placement in

alternative care has been ordered or authorized by a competent administrative body

or judicial authority, a designated individual or competent entity should be vested

with the legal right and responsibility to make such decisions in the place of parents,

in full consultation with the child. States should ensure that a mechanism is in place

for designating such an individual or entity.

102. Such legal responsibility should be attributed by the competent authorities and

be supervised directly by them or through formally accredited entities, including

non-governmental organizations. Accountability for the actions of the individual or

entity concerned should lie with the designating body.

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A/RES/64/142

103. Persons exercising such legal responsibility should be reputable individuals

with relevant knowledge of children’s issues, an ability to work directly with

children and an understanding of any special and cultural needs of the children to be

entrusted to them. They should receive appropriate training and professional support

in this regard. They should be in a position to make independent and impartial

decisions that are in the best interests of the children concerned and that promote

and safeguard each child’s welfare.

104. The role and specific responsibilities of the designated person or entity should

include:

(a) Ensuring that the rights of the child are protected and, in particular, that

the child has appropriate care, accommodation, health-care provision, developmental

opportunities, psychosocial support, education and language support;

(b) Ensuring that the child has access to legal and other representation where

necessary, consulting with the child so that the child’s views are taken into account

by decision-making authorities, and advising and keeping the child informed of

his/her rights;

(c) Contributing to the identification of a stable solution in the best interests

of the child;

(d) Providing a link between the child and various organizations that may

provide services to the child;

(e) Assisting the child in family tracing;

(f) Ensuring that, if repatriation or family reunification is carried out, it is

done in the best interests of the child;

(g) Helping the child to keep in touch with his/her family, when appropriate.

1. Agencies and facilities responsible for formal care

105. Legislation should stipulate that all agencies and facilities must be registered

and authorized to operate by social welfare services or another competent authority,

and that failure to comply with such legislation constitutes an offence punishable by

law. Authorization should be granted and be regularly reviewed by the competent

authorities on the basis of standard criteria covering, at a minimum, the agency’s or

facility’s objectives, functioning, staff recruitment and qualifications, conditions of

care and financial resources and management.

106. All agencies and facilities should have written policy and practice statements,

consistent with the present Guidelines, setting out clearly their aims, policies,

methods and the standards applied for the recruitment, monitoring, supervision and

evaluation of qualified and suitable carers to ensure that those aims are met.

107. All agencies and facilities should develop a staff code of conduct, consistent

with the present Guidelines, that defines the role of each professional and of the

carers in particular and includes clear reporting procedures on allegations of

misconduct by any team member.

108. The forms of financing care provision should never be such as to encourage a

child’s unnecessary placement or prolonged stay in care arrangements organized or

provided by an agency or facility.

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109. Comprehensive and up-to-date records should be maintained regarding the

administration of alternative care services, including detailed files on all children in

their care, staff employed and financial transactions.

110. The records on children in care should be complete, up to date, confidential

and secure, and should include information on their admission and departure and the

form, content and details of the care placement of each child, together with any

appropriate identity documents and other personal information. Information on the

child’s family should be included in the child’s file as well as in the reports based on

regular evaluations. This record should follow the child throughout the alternative

care period and be consulted by duly authorized professionals responsible for

his/her current care.

111. The above-mentioned records could be made available to the child, as well as

to the parents or guardians, within the limits of the child’s right to privacy and

confidentiality, as appropriate. Appropriate counselling should be provided before,

during and after consultation of the record.

112. All alternative care services should have a clear policy on maintaining the

confidentiality of information pertaining to each child, which all carers are aware of

and adhere to.

113. As a matter of good practice, all agencies and facilities should systematically

ensure that, prior to employment, carers and other staff in direct contact with

children undergo an appropriate and comprehensive assessment of their suitability

to work with children.

114. Conditions of work, including remuneration, for carers employed by agencies

and facilities should be such as to maximize motivation, job satisfaction and

continuity, and hence their disposition to fulfil their role in the most appropriate and

effective manner.

115. Training should be provided to all carers on the rights of children without

parental care and on the specific vulnerability of children, in particularly difficult

situations, such as emergency placements or placements outside their area of

habitual residence. Cultural, social, gender and religious sensitization should also be

assured. States should also provide adequate resources and channels for the

recognition of these professionals in order to favour the implementation of these

provisions.

116. Training in dealing appropriately with challenging behaviour, including

conflict resolution techniques and means to prevent acts of harm or self-harm,

should be provided to all care staff employed by agencies and facilities.

117. Agencies and facilities should ensure that, wherever appropriate, carers are

prepared to respond to children with special needs, notably those living with

HIV/AIDS or other chronic physical or mental illnesses, and children with physical

or mental disabilities.

2. Foster care

118. The competent authority or agency should devise a system, and should train

concerned staff accordingly, to assess and match the needs of the child with the

abilities and resources of potential foster carers and to prepare all concerned for the

placement.

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A/RES/64/142

119. A pool of accredited foster carers should be identified in each locality who can

provide children with care and protection while maintaining ties to family,

community and cultural group.

120. Special preparation, support and counselling services for foster carers should

be developed and made available to carers at regular intervals, before, during and

after the placement.

121. Carers should have, within fostering agencies and other systems involved with

children without parental care, the opportunity to make their voice heard and to

influence policy.

122. Encouragement should be given to the establishment of associations of foster

carers that can provide important mutual support and contribute to practice and

policy development.

C. Residential care

123. Facilities providing residential care should be small and be organized around

the rights and needs of the child, in a setting as close as possible to a family or small

group situation. Their objective should generally be to provide temporary care and

to contribute actively to the child’s family reintegration or, if this is not possible, to

secure his/her stable care in an alternative family setting, including through

adoption or kafala of Islamic law, where appropriate.

124. Measures should be taken so that, where necessary and appropriate, a child

solely in need of protection and alternative care may be accommodated separately

from children who are subject to the criminal justice system.

125. The competent national or local authority should establish rigorous screening

procedures to ensure that only appropriate admissions to such facilities are made.

126. States should ensure that there are sufficient carers in residential care settings

to allow individualized attention and to give the child, where appropriate, the

opportunity to bond with a specific carer. Carers should also be deployed within the

care setting in such a way as to implement effectively its aims and objectives and

ensure child protection.

127. Laws, policies and regulations should prohibit the recruitment and solicitation

of children for placement in residential care by agencies, facilities or individuals.

D. Inspection and monitoring

128. Agencies, facilities and professionals involved in care provision should be

accountable to a specific public authority, which should ensure, inter alia, frequent

inspections comprising both scheduled and unannounced visits, involving discussion

with and observation of the staff and the children.

129. To the extent possible and appropriate, inspection functions should include a

component of training and capacity-building for care providers.

130. States should be encouraged to ensure that an independent monitoring

mechanism is in place, with due consideration for the principles relating to the status

of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris

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Principles). 8 The monitoring mechanism should be easily accessible to children,

7F

parents and those responsible for children without parental care. The functions of the

monitoring mechanism should include:

(a) Consulting in conditions of privacy with children in all forms of

alternative care, visiting the care settings in which they live and undertaking

investigations into any alleged situation of violation of children’s rights in those

settings, on complaint or on its own initiative;

(b) Recommending relevant policies to appropriate authorities with the aim

of improving the treatment of children deprived of parental care and ensuring that it

is in keeping with the preponderance of research findings on child protection,

health, development and care;

(c) Submitting proposals and observations concerning draft legislation;

(d) Contributing independently to the reporting process under the

Convention on the Rights of the Child,2 including to periodic State party reports to

3H

the Committee on the Rights of the Child with regard to the implementation of the

present Guidelines.

E. Support for aftercare

131. Agencies and facilities should have a clear policy and should carry out agreed

procedures relating to the planned and unplanned conclusion of their work with

children to ensure appropriate aftercare and/or follow-up. Throughout the period of

care, they should systematically aim at preparing children to assume self-reliance

and to integrate fully in the community, notably through the acquisition of social

and life skills, which are fostered by participation in the life of the local community.

132. The process of transition from care to aftercare should take into consideration

children’s gender, age, maturity and particular circumstances and include

counselling and support, notably to avoid exploitation. Children leaving care should

be encouraged to take part in the planning of aftercare life. Children with special

needs, such as disabilities, should benefit from an appropriate support system,

ensuring, inter alia, avoidance of unnecessary institutionalization. Both the public

and the private sectors should be encouraged, including through incentives, to

employ children from different care services, particularly children with special

needs.

133. Special efforts should be made to allocate to each child, whenever possible, a

specialized person who can facilitate his/her independence when leaving care.

134. Aftercare should be prepared as early as possible in the placement and, in any

case, well before the child leaves the care setting.

135. Ongoing educational and vocational training opportunities should be imparted

as part of life skills education to young people leaving care in order to help them to

become financially independent and generate their own income.

136. Access to social, legal and health services, together with appropriate financial

support, should also be provided to young people leaving care and during aftercare.

_______________

8

Resolution 48/134, annex.

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VIII. Care provision for children outside their country of habitual residence

A. Placement of a child for care abroad

137. The present Guidelines should apply to all public and private entities and all

persons involved in arrangements for a child to be sent for care to a country other

than his/her country of habitual residence, whether for medical treatment, temporary

hosting, respite care or any other reason.

138. States concerned should ensure that a designated body has responsibility for

determining specific standards to be met regarding, in particular, the criteria for

selecting carers in the host country and the quality of care and follow-up, as well as

for supervising and monitoring the operation of such schemes.

139. To ensure appropriate international cooperation and child protection in such

situations, States are encouraged to ratify or accede to the Hague Convention on

Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in respect

of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children, of

19 October 1996. 9 8F

B. Provision of care for a child already abroad

140. The present Guidelines, as well as other relevant international provisions,

should apply to all public and private entities and all persons involved in

arrangements for a child needing care while in a country other than his/her country

of habitual residence, for whatever reason.

141. Unaccompanied or separated children already abroad should, in principle, enjoy

the same level of protection and care as national children in the country concerned.

142. In determining appropriate care provision, the diversity and disparity of

unaccompanied or separated children (such as ethnic and migratory background or

cultural and religious diversity) should be taken into consideration on a case-by-case

basis.

143. Unaccompanied or separated children, including those who arrive irregularly

in a country, should not, in principle, be deprived of their liberty solely for having

breached any law governing access to and stay within the territory.

144. Child victims of trafficking should neither be detained in police custody nor

subjected to penalties for their involvement under compulsion in unlawful activities.

145. As soon as an unaccompanied child is identified, States are strongly

encouraged to appoint a guardian or, where necessary, representation by an

organization responsible for his/her care and well-being to accompany the child

throughout the status determination and decision-making process.

146. As soon as an unaccompanied or separated child is taken into care, all

reasonable efforts should be made to trace his/her family and re-establish family ties,

when this is in the best interests of the child and would not endanger those involved.

147. In order to assist in planning the future of an unaccompanied or separated

child in a manner that best protects his/her rights, relevant State and social service

authorities should make all reasonable efforts to procure documentation and

information in order to conduct an assessment of the child’s risk and social and

family conditions in his/her country of habitual residence.

_______________

9

United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2204, No. 39130.

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148. Unaccompanied or separated children must not be returned to their country of

habitual residence:

(a) If, following the risk and security assessment, there are reasons to

believe that the child’s safety and security are in danger;

(b) Unless, prior to the return, a suitable caregiver, such as a parent, other

relative, other adult caretaker, a Government agency or an authorized agency or

facility in the country of origin, has agreed and is able to take responsibility for the

child and provide him or her with appropriate care and protection;

(c) If, for other reasons, it is not in the best interests of the child, according

to the assessment of the competent authorities.

149. With the above aims in mind, cooperation among States, regions, local

authorities and civil society associations should be promoted, strengthened and

enhanced.

150. The effective involvement of consular services or, failing that, legal

representatives of the country of origin should be foreseen, when this is in the best

interests of the child and would not endanger the child or his/her family.

151. Those responsible for the welfare of an unaccompanied or separated child

should facilitate regular communication between the child and his/her family, except

where this is against the child’s wishes or is demonstrably not in his/her best

interests.

152. Placement with a view to adoption or kafala of Islamic law should not be

considered a suitable initial option for an unaccompanied or separated child. States

are encouraged to consider this option only after efforts to determine the location of

his/her parents, extended family or habitual carers have been exhausted.

IX. Care in emergency situations

A. Application of the Guidelines

153. The present Guidelines should continue to apply in situations of emergency

arising from natural and man-made disasters, including international and

non-international armed conflicts, as well as foreign occupation. Individuals and

organizations wishing to work on behalf of children without parental care in

emergency situations are strongly encouraged to operate in accordance with the

Guidelines.

154. In such circumstances, the State or de facto authorities in the region

concerned, the international community and all local, national, foreign and

international agencies providing or intending to provide child-focused services

should pay special attention:

(a) To ensure that all entities and persons involved in responding to

unaccompanied or separated children are sufficiently experienced, trained,

resourceful and equipped to do so in an appropriate manner;

(b) To develop, as necessary, temporary and long-term family-based care;

(c) To use residential care only as a temporary measure until family-based

care can be developed;

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A/RES/64/142

(d) To prohibit the establishment of new residential facilities structured to

provide simultaneous care to large groups of children on a permanent or long-term

basis;

(e) To prevent the cross-border displacement of children, except under the

circumstances described in paragraph 160 below;

(f) To make cooperation with family tracing and reintegration efforts

mandatory.

Preventing separation

155. Organizations and authorities should make every effort to prevent the

separation of children from their parents or primary caregivers, unless the best

interests of the child so require, and ensure that their actions do not inadvertently

encourage family separation by providing services and benefits to children alone

rather than to families.

156. Separation initiated by the child’s parents or other primary caregivers should

be prevented by:

(a) Ensuring that all households have access to basic food and medical

supplies and other services, including education;

(b) Limiting the development of residential care options and restricting their

use to those situations where it is absolutely necessary.

B. Care arrangements

157. Communities should be assisted in playing an active role in monitoring and

responding to care and protection issues facing children in their local context.

158. Care within a child’s own community, including fostering, should be

encouraged, as it provides continuity in socialization and development.

159. As unaccompanied or separated children may be at heightened risk of abuse

and exploitation, monitoring and specific support to carers should be foreseen to

ensure their protection.

160. Children in emergency situations should not be moved to a country other than

that of their habitual residence for alternative care except temporarily for

compelling health, medical or safety reasons. In that case, this should be as close as

possible to their home, they should be accompanied by a parent or caregiver known

to them, and a clear return plan should be established.

161. Should family reintegration prove impossible within an appropriate period or

be deemed contrary to the best interests of the child, stable and definitive solutions,

such as adoption or kafala of Islamic law, should be envisaged; failing this, other

long-term options should be considered, such as foster care or appropriate

residential care, including group homes and other supervised living arrangements.

C. Tracing and family reintegration

162. Identifying, registering and documenting unaccompanied or separated children

are priorities in any emergency and should be carried out as quickly as possible.

163. Registration activities should be conducted by or under the direct supervision

of State authorities and explicitly mandated entities with responsibility for and

experience in this task.

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 A/RES/64/142

164. The confidential nature of the information collected should be respected and

systems put in place for safe forwarding and storage of information. Information

should only be shared among duly mandated agencies for the purpose of tracing,

family reintegration and care.

165. All those engaged in tracing family members or primary legal or customary

caregivers should operate within a coordinated system, using standardized forms

and mutually compatible procedures, wherever possible. They should ensure that the

child and others concerned would not be endangered by their actions.

166. The validity of relationships and the confirmation of the willingness of the

child and family members to be reunited must be verified for every child. No action

should be taken that may hinder eventual family reintegration, such as adoption,

change of name or movement to places far from the family’s likely location, until all

tracing efforts have been exhausted.

167. Appropriate records of any placement of a child should be made and kept in a

safe and secure manner so that reunification can be facilitated in the future.

23

來源 PDF: 35_20230110075618_8858736.pdf

聯 合 國 A/RES/64/142 *

大 會 Distr.: General

24 February 2010

第六十四屆會議

議程專案 64

2009 年 12 月 18 日 大 會 決 議

[根據第三委員會的報告(A/64/434)通過]

64/142. 關於替代性兒童照料的導則

大會，

1 2

重申《世界人權宣言》 和《兒童權利公約》， 並在 2009 年慶祝《公約》通

過20 周年，

又重申人權理事會、人權委員會和大會以往所有關於兒童權利的決議，最近

3 4

的決議是理事會 2008 年3 月28 日第7/29 號、 2008 年9 月24 日第9/13 號 和

5

2009 年 3 月 26 日第 10/8 號決議 以及大會 2008 年 12 月 24 日第 63/241 號決議，

考慮到本決議附件所載的《關於替代性兒童照料的導則》為政策與做法訂立

了理想的方針，目的是加強執行《兒童權利公約》以及其他國際文書中關於已失去

或有可能失去父母照料的兒童的保護和福祉問題的相關規定，

.1 歡迎本決議附件所載的《關於替代性兒童照料的導則》，認為這是一套

可幫助引導政策與做法的方針；

.2 鼓勵各國參考《導則》，並提請政府的相關行政、立法和司法機構以及人

權維護者和律師、媒體乃至全體公眾注意《導則》；

• 2010 年4 月13 日由於技術原因重新印發。

1

第217 A(III)號決議。

2

聯合國，《條約彙編》，第 1577 卷，第 27531 號。

3

見《大會正式記錄，第六十三屆會議，補編第 53 號》(A/62/53)，第二章。

4

同上，《第六十三屆會議，補編第 53A 號》(A/63/53/Add.1)，第一章。

5

同上，《第六十四屆會議，補編第 53 號》(A/64/53)，第二章，A 節。

09-47034 請回收 ♲

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A/RES/64/142

.3 請秘書長在現有資源範圍內採取步驟，以聯合國所有正式語文傳播《導

則》，包括將其傳送全體會員國、各區域委員會以及相關的政府間組織和非政府組

織。

2009 年 12 月 18 日

附件 第 65 次全體會議

關於替代性兒童照料的導則

一. 目的

2

1. 本導則的目的在於進一步執行《兒童權利公約》 及關於已失去或有可能失

去父母照料的兒童的保護和福祉的其他國際文書的相關規定。

2. 以這些國際文書為背景，考慮到該領域的知識和經驗的不斷積累，本導則規

定了政策和做法的理想定位。將在與替代性照料相關問題直接或間接相關的所有

部門中廣泛傳播這些導則，特別是要設法：

(a) 支援各項工作，使兒童處於或重新回到家庭照料之下，如果做不到這一

點，則尋找另一種適當的永久性解決辦法，包括收養和伊斯蘭法的“卡法拉”(監護)；

(b) 確保在尋求此類永久性解決辦法的過程中，抑或在不可能找到這種辦法

或這種辦法不符合兒童最大利益的情況下，確定和提供最適當形式的替代性照

料，條件是應能促進兒童的全面和協調發展；

(c) 協助和鼓勵各國政府更好地履行其在這方面的責任和義務，同時顧及各

國的經濟、社會和文化條件；

(d) 指導公私部門包括民間社會中與社會保護和兒童福利有關的所有政策、

決定和活動。

二. 一般原則和觀點

A. 兒童與家庭

3. 鑒於家庭是社會的基本單元，是兒童成長、獲得福祉和受到保護的自然環境，

應特別努力地使兒童持續處於或重新回到其父母或適當時候其他近親屬的照料

之下。各國應確保家庭可以獲得各種形式的支助，以履行照料職責。

4. 每個兒童和青年都應在有助於其充分發揮潛能且會得到支助、保護和照料的

環境中成長。沒有獲得或沒有獲得足夠父母照料的兒童往往沒有這種養育環境。

5. 當兒童自己的家庭即使是在得到適當支助後也無法為兒童提供適足照料時，

或是拋棄或放棄兒童時，各國有責任與主管地方當局及經適當授權的民間社會組

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織一道，或是通過它們，保護兒童的權利，並確保提供適當的替代性照料。國家有

責任通過主管當局，確保監督接受替代性照料的兒童的安全、福祉和發展情況， 並定

期審查所提供的照料安排是否適當。

6. 本導則範圍內的所有決定、舉措和辦法均應在個案基礎上進行，以特別確保

兒童的安全和保障；須從有關兒童的最大利益和權利出發，遵循不歧視原則，並

適當考慮性別觀點。它們應以兒童可以獲取所有必要資訊為基礎，充分尊重兒童的

被諮詢權及依照兒童不同階段接受能力適當考慮其觀點的權利。應盡一切努力，

以兒童所偏好的語言，進行諮詢和提供資訊。

7. 適用本導則時，確定兒童的最大利益是為了確定關於已失去或有可能失去父

母照料的兒童的行動方針，使其最適於滿足兒童的需要和權利，同時需慮及確定這

些利益的當時和在較長時期內，兒童在家庭、社會和文化環境中實現全面和個性化

發展的權利以及其作為權利主體的地位。除其他外，確定進程應考慮到兒童有權發

表自己的意見，而且對兒童的意見應按照其年齡和成熟程度給以適當的考慮。

8. 各國應在其整體的社會和人的發展政策框架內，制定和執行全面的兒童福利

和保護政策，並注意改進現有的替代性照料規定，以反映本導則所載各項原則。

9. 作為旨在防止兒童與其父母分離的努力的一部分，各國應設法確保採取適當

的、文化方面敏感的措施：

(a) 幫助能力因下列因素而受到限制的家庭照料環境：身心障礙、濫用藥物

和酒精、對原住民和少數群體家庭的歧視以及生活在武裝衝突地區或處於外國佔

領下的家庭；

(b) 適當照料和保護弱勢兒童，如受到虐待和剝削的兒童、被遺棄兒童、街

頭兒童、非婚生兒童、孤身和失散兒童、國內流離失所兒童和難民兒童、移徙工

人子女、尋求庇護者子女、感染愛滋病毒/愛滋病及其他嚴重疾病抑或受這些疾病

影響的兒童。

10. 應特別努力消除基於兒童或父母所處狀況的歧視。這些狀況包括貧窮、種族、

宗教、性別、身心障礙、愛滋病毒/愛滋病或其他嚴重的身體或心理疾病、非婚生、

社會經濟方面的汙名以及可能造成兒童被放棄、拋棄和/或遺棄的所有其他狀況和

境況。

B. 替代性照料

11. 原則上，所有與替代性照料有關的決定均應充分考慮到有必要讓兒童留在離

自己慣常居住地盡可能近的地方，以便其與家人聯繫和在可能的情況下與家人團聚，

並儘量減少對其教育、文化和社會生活的干擾。

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12. 與受到替代性照料包括非正式照料的兒童有關的決定，應適當考慮到重要的

是要確保兒童有一個穩定的家，並滿足其基本的安全需要和持續依戀照顧者的需

要。一般而言，以永久性為主要目標。

13. 無論兒童處於何種照料環境，都必須在任何時候都得到尊嚴並受到尊重，並

提供有效保護，以使其免受照料提供者、同齡人或協力廠商的虐待、忽視和各種形

式剝削。

14. 應將剝奪家庭對兒童的照料作為最後手段，而且，在可能的情況下，這種措

施應是臨時性的，持續時間應盡可能短。應定期審查剝奪決定；依照下文第 49

段規定的評估，一旦剝奪的原始理由已得到解決或不復存在，為兒童的最大利益

考慮，應使兒童重新回到父母照料之下。

15. 不得將經濟貧窮和物質貧窮，或是可直接和特別歸咎於貧窮的各種狀況作為

剝奪父母對兒童的照料、以替代性照料方式安置兒童或阻止其與家人團聚的唯一

理由，而應將其視為一種信號，表明有必要向該家庭提供適當支助。

16. 必須注意促進和保障與無父母照料兒童的境況有特殊關係的所有其他權利，

包括但不限於獲得教育、保健和其他基本服務的機會、身份權、宗教或信仰自由、

語言、財產保護和繼承權。

17. 原則上，不得以替代性照料安置的方式將存在親情的兄弟姐妹分開，除非有

明顯證據表明他們很可能會受到虐待，或有出於兒童最大利益考慮的其他正當理由。

無論如何，應盡一切努力，使兄弟姐妹之間能夠保持聯繫，除非這有違其意願或

有損其利益。

18. 鑒於在多數國家，無父母照料兒童大都由親屬或他人進行非正規照料，各國

應依照本導則，設法採用適當手段，確保此類非正規照料安排中兒童的福利和保

護，並適當尊重與兒童權利和兒童最大利益不相抵觸的文化、經濟、性別和宗教

差異及習俗。

19. 任何兒童都應能隨時得到法定監護人或其他被認定負有責任的成人抑或有

關公共機構的支助和保護。

20. 提供替代性照料不得以促進提供者的政治、宗教或經濟目標為首要目的。

21. 寄宿照料的採用應僅限於這種環境對有關兒童個體特別適當、必要且具有建

設性並符合其最大利益的情況。

22. 根據多數專家的意見，應在以家庭為基礎的環境中，為幼童，特別是 3 歲以

下幼童，提供替代性照料。在下述兩種情況下，本原則允許有例外：為防止兄弟姐

妹分離；安置屬緊急措施或只會按預定持續很短一段時間，最終將按計劃實現家人

團聚或是採用其他適當的長期照料辦法。

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23. 在承認寄宿照料設施與以家庭為基礎的照料在滿足兒童需要方面相互補充

的同時，凡在有大型寄宿照料設施(機構)的地方，均應以全面的非機構化戰略為背

景，本著有利於逐步消除的具體目標和目的，發展替代性照料。為此，各國應制定

照料標準，確保有利於兒童發展的特色和條件，如個性化照料和小群體照料； 並應依

據這些標準，評價現有設施。與設立或許可設立新的公共或私營寄宿照料設施有關的

決定，應充分考慮到非機構化的目標和戰略。

促進適用本導則的措施

24. 各國應最大限度地利用其可用資源，並於適當的時候，在發展合作框架內，

分配人力和財政資源，確保及時在其各自領土上以及時的方式逐步執行本導則。

各國應促進所有有關當局間的積極合作，並幫助把兒童和家庭福利問題納入直接

或間接相關的各部委工作的主流。

25. 各國有責任確定是否需要並請求開展國際合作，執行本導則。應適當考慮此

類請求，並在可能和適當的時候，給予積極回應。各類發展合作方案均應注重加

強本導則的執行工作。向一國提供援助時，外國實體不得提出任何有違本導則的倡

議。

26. 注意到本導則的任何條款均不得被解釋為鼓勵或容許低於特定國家現有標

準包括其立法中的現有標準所要求的標準。同樣，鼓勵主管當局、專業組織和其

他各方以本導則的文字和精神為基礎，制定針對國家或專業的具體準則。

三. 導則的範圍

27. 本導則適用於針對 18 歲以下任何人的替代性正規照料的適當利用和條件，

除非適用于兒童的法律規定成年年齡低於 18 歲。只在有明示時，本導則才同樣適

用於非正規照料環境，並應適當考慮大家庭和社區所發揮的重要作用及《兒童權

2

利公約》 規定的、國家對所有無父母照料或無法定和慣常照料者照料的兒童的

義務。

28. 本導則所載各項原則也酌情適用於已得到替代性照料的青少年，以及在達到

適用法律所規定成年年齡後的過渡期內需要繼續得到照料或支助的青少年。

29. 為本導則之目的，下列定義應予適用，但下文第 30 段所列情況顯然除外：

(a) 無父母照料的兒童：因任何原因，在任何情況下，無法受到父母至少一

方夜間照料的所有兒童。凡無父母照料的兒童，如果身處慣常居住國境外，或身為

緊急情況受害者，即可被指定為：

㈠ “孤身”：沒有得到另一名親屬抑或依照法律或習俗應負照料責任的成

人的照料；或

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❖ “失散”：與先前的法定或慣常主要照料者分離，但可能由另一名親屬

陪伴。

(b) 替代性照料可採取的形式包括：

㈠ 非正規照料：在家庭環境中提供的任何私人安排。親屬或朋友(非正規親

屬照料)抑或其他人，以個人身份，經兒童、其父母或他人提議，而非經行

政或司法當局抑或正式授權機構安排，持續或無限期地照顧兒童；

❖ 正規照料：所有由主管行政機關或司法當局下令、在家庭環境中提供的

照料，以及所有無論是否由行政或司法措施促成、在寄宿環境包括私營設施

中提供的照料。

(c) 根據提供環境的不同，替代性照料可分為：

㈠ 親屬照料：以家庭為基礎的照料，由兒童所在大家庭的成員或兒童所認

識的家庭親密朋友提供，不論是正規還是非正規性質；

❖ 寄養：主管當局為替代性照料的目的而將兒童安置在另一個家庭環境

(非兒童自身家庭)的情況，所選家庭有資格提供此類照料，業經核准並將受

到監督；

㈢ 以家庭為基礎或類似家庭的其他形式照料安置；

㈣ 寄宿照料：在不以家庭為基礎的群體環境中提供的照料，如用於提供緊

急照料的安全場所、緊急情況下的臨時安置中心以及所有其他短期或長期寄

宿照料設施，包括集體之家；

㈤ 接受監督的兒童獨立生活安排。

(d) 關於負責提供替代性照料的一方：

㈠ 機構系指為兒童安排替代性照料的公共或私營團體和部門；

❖ 設施系指為兒童提供寄宿照料的個別公共或私營單位。

30. 本導則所指替代性照料的範圍不包括：

(a) 因被指稱、指控或認為觸犯法律而被司法或行政當局裁定剝奪自由的、

6 7

《聯合國少年司法最低限度標準規則》 和《聯合國保護被剝奪自由少年規則》

所涵蓋的 18 歲以下個人；

6

第40/33 號決議，附件。

7

第45/113 號決議，附件。

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(b) 為本導則之目的，根據最後收養令，有關兒童從被有效置於收養父母監

護之下接受照料的那一刻起，即被視同受父母照料。不過，本導則適用於在收養前

或試收養期，將兒童安置于潛在收養父母那裡的情況，只要他們符合其他相關國際

文書所訂立的此類安置相關規定；

(c) 為娛樂目的或因與一般意義上的父母不能或不願意提供適當照料無關

的理由，兒童自願與親屬或朋友在一起的非正規安排。

31. 鼓勵主管當局和其他相關方酌情將本導則用於寄宿學校、醫院、為有身心障

礙或其他特殊需要的兒童設立的中心、營地、工作場所及其他負責照料兒童的地

方。

四. 防止出現必須提供替代性照料的情況

A. 促進父母照料

32. 各國應落實政策，確保幫助家庭履行其對兒童的職責，並促進兒童與父母雙

方保持聯繫的權利。除其他外，這些政策應確保出生登記權，獲得適足住房及基本

保健、教育和社會福利服務，並促進採取各種措施，消除貧窮、歧視、邊緣化、汙名

化、暴力、虐待兒童和性虐待及藥物濫用，從而從根本上解決拋棄和放棄兒童及使

兒童與家人分離的問題。

33. 各國應制定和執行協調一致、相輔相成、面向家庭的政策，促進和增強父母

照料其子女的能力。

34. 各國應採取有效措施，防止拋棄和放棄兒童及使兒童與家人分離。除其他外，

社會政策和方案應賦予家庭各種態度、技能、能力和工具，使其能夠給予子女適當的

保護、照料和培養。國家和民間社會，包括非政府組織、社區組織、宗教領袖及媒

體，應發揮互補作用，實現這一目標。這些社會保護措施應包括：

(a) 強化家庭功能的服務，例如傳授養育之道的課程和會議、促進積極親子

關係的活動、解決衝突的技能、就業和創收機會以及應要求提供的社會援助等；

(b) 輔助性社會服務，例如日托、仲裁和調解服務、對藥物濫用的治療、資

金援助以及為有身心障礙的父母和兒童提供的服務等。此類服務最好應統籌提供並

屬於非侵擾性質，而且應直接在社區一級提供，並促使家庭作為夥伴積極參與，將

其資源與社區和照料者的資源相結合；

(c) 青年政策，旨在增強青年的能力，使其能夠積極面對日常生活中包括其決

定離開兒童教養院時的挑戰，並培養未來的父母就其性健康和生殖健康做出知情決

定和履行其在這方面的職責。

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35. 應利用各種補充辦法和技巧，提供家庭支助。在支助進程的不同階段，所用

辦法和技巧也各不相同，如家訪、與其他家庭的聚會、個案會議及獲得有關家庭的

承諾。這些辦法和技巧應旨在促進家庭內部關係，推動家庭與所在社區的融合。

36. 根據地方法律，應特別注意針對單親父母、未成年父母及其子女，無論是否

婚生，提供和促進支助和照料服務。各國應確保未成年父母保有其作為父母和子

女所固有的一切權利，包括可以獲取自身發展所需各種適當服務、父母有權享受的

津貼及繼承權。應採取措施，確保保護懷孕少女，並保證其不會中斷學業。此外，

還應做出努力，減少對單親父母和未成年父母的成見。

37. 應向失去父母或照料者後選擇繼續一起生活的兄弟姐妹提供支助和服務，條

件是兄弟姐妹中的最年長者有意願、也被認為有能力擔當戶主。各國應確保這種

家庭可受益於免受一切形式剝削和虐待的強制性保護，以及地方社區和主管服務

機構如社會工作者提供的監督和支助，並特別關注兒童的健康、住房、教育和繼承

權，途徑包括依照上文第 19 段的規定，任命法定監護人、被認為負有責任的成人

或在適當時候，獲得法律授權的公共機構，擔任監護人。應特別注意的是， 要確

保除作為戶主的權利外，這類家庭的戶主保有其作為兒童所固有的一切權利，

包括接受教育和休閒娛樂。

38. 各國應確保提供日托包括全日制學校和臨時照料，以使父母能夠更好地履行

其對家庭的整體責任，包括在照料有特殊需要兒童方面固有的額外責任。

防止家人分離

39. 應制定並持續適用良好專業原則基礎上的適當標準，以便在主管當局或機構

有理由認為兒童的福祉受到威脅時，評估兒童和家庭的狀況，包括家庭照料兒童

的實際和潛在能力。

40. 與拆散和重聚有關的決定應由具備適當資格、受過訓練的專業人員，代表主

管當局或經主管當局授權，根據評估結果作出。他們應與有關各方充分協商，並

謹記必須為兒童的將來作打算。

41. 鼓勵各國採取措施，全面保護和保證懷孕、分娩和哺乳期的權利，以確保尊

嚴和平等，促進妊娠和兒童護理的適當發展。因此，應向未來的父母親，特別是

在履行父母責任方面有困難的未成年父母，提供支助方案。這些方案應旨在增強父

母有尊嚴地履行父母責任的能力，避免其因自身弱勢而導致拋棄子女。

42. 當兒童被放棄或拋棄時，各國應確保在此種情形中為兒童保密並保障其安

全，此外尊重其根據國家法律在適當和可能情況下瞭解其出身的權利。

43. 各國應制定明確政策，處理兒童被匿名拋棄的情況。這些政策應表明是否需

要及如何尋找家人，以及如何使家人團聚或如何將兒童安置在大家庭中。政策還

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應允許及時就兒童是否有資格接受永久性的家庭安置做出決定，並允許快速安排

此類安置工作。

44. 當想要永久放棄兒童的父母或法定監護人找到一個公共或私營機構或設施

時，國家應確保該家庭得到指導和社會支助，鼓勵並使其有能力繼續照料兒童。

如果不能做到這一點，應開展社會工作或其他適當專業評估，確定是否有其他家

庭成員願意永久地承擔起照料兒童的責任，以及這種安排是否符合兒童的最大利

益。如果這種安排沒有可能或不符合兒童的最大利益，應努力在一段合理的時期

內，找到一種永久性的家庭安置辦法。

45. 當想要對方短期或無限期照料兒童的父母或照料者找到一個公共或私營機

構或設施時，國家應確保他們能夠得到指導和社會支助，鼓勵並使其有能力繼續

照料兒童。只有在已盡一切努力且存在可接受的合理理由時，才可允許以替代性

照料方式安置兒童。

46. 應對教師及其他從事兒童工作者進行特別培訓，幫助其識別虐待、忽視和剝

削等情形或確定是否存在被拋棄的風險，並將此類情況報告主管機關。

47. 任何有違父母意願、要拆散父母與兒童的決定，均須由主管當局根據適用

法律和程式，經司法審查後作出，並保證父母有上訴權且有機會獲得適當法律代

表。

48. 當兒童的唯一或主要照料者因防範性拘留或判決決定而被剝奪自由時，應

盡可能在適當的情況下，充分考慮兒童的最大利益，採用非拘留性還押措施和

判決。決定是否要帶走在獄中出生的兒童和與父母生活在獄中的兒童時，各國應

慮及兒童的最大利益。應以與考慮到親子分離的其他情況相同的方式，處理使

這些兒童與父母分離的事項。應做出最大努力，確保仍在父母監護之下的兒童

可以得到適當的照料和保護，同時保證兒童本身作為自由人的地位及參加社區

活動的機會。

B. 促進家人團聚

49. 為了開展準備工作並幫助兒童和家庭，使兒童與家人團聚，應正式指定一個

個人或小組，負責聽取多領域諮詢意見，與不同的有關行為人(兒童、家人、替代

性照料者)協商，對兒童的境況進行評估，從而確定：有無可能讓兒童與家人團聚，

這樣做是否符合兒童的最大利益，應採取哪些措施，以及應由誰來監督這些措施。

50. 應在獲得有關各方同意的情況下，以書面形式訂立團聚的目的以及家庭照料

和替代性照料者在這方面的主要任務。

51. 主管機關應促進、支持和監督兒童與其家人專門為團聚目的而進行的定期、

適當接觸。

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52. 一旦作出決定，即應將兒童與家人的團聚視為一個逐步落實且會受到監督的

進程，同時，應在考慮到兒童的年齡、需要、不同階段接受能力和分離原因的情

況下，採取後續行動和輔助措施。

五. 提供照料的框架

53. 為了滿足無父母照料兒童的特殊心理情感、社會和其他需要，各國應採取一

切必要措施，確保立法、政策和財政條件允許提供適當的替代性照料備選辦法，

其中首選以家庭和社區為基礎的辦法。

54. 各國應確保依照本導則所載一般原則，針對緊急照料、短期照料和長期照料，

提供一系列替代性照料備選辦法。

55. 各國應確保所有參與向兒童提供替代性照料的實體和個人均得到主管當局

的適當授權，且接受主管當局依照本導則進行的定期監督和審查。為此，這些當

局應制定適當標準，以便從專業和道德方面評估提供照料者的適合性以及對其進

行認證、監測和監督。

56. 關於對兒童的非正規照料安排，無論是在大家庭內，還是與朋友或其他方面

所作的安排，國家都應酌情鼓勵這些照料者將有關情況通報主管當局，以便他們

和兒童能獲得任何必要的資金和其他支助，從而促進兒童的福利和保護。在可能且

適當的時候，各國應在適當時間之後，征得兒童及其父母的同意，鼓勵和幫助非正

規照料者做出正規照料安排，條件是要證明至此為止，這樣的安排符合兒童的最大

利益，且會在可預見的將來持續下去。

六. 確定最適當形式的照料

57. 從兒童的最大利益出發，決定是否要採用替代性照料方式的決策應通過司

法、行政或其他被認可的適當程式進行，並有一定的法律保障，包括在任何法律

訴訟中，酌情提供兒童的法律代表。決策應盡可能地由多學科小組中有適當資格

的專家，在個案基礎上，通過既定的結構和機制，並應依據嚴格的評估、規劃和

審查進行。在做出決策的各個階段，均應根據兒童不同階段的接受能力，與兒童並

與其父母或法定監護人，進行充分協商。應為此向有關各方提供必要資訊，據以形

成意見。各國應盡一切努力，提供適當的資源和管道，培訓和確認負責確定最佳照

料形式的專業人員，以更好地遵守這些規定。

58. 評估工作應做到快速、徹底和仔細，應慮及兒童當下的安全和福祉及其長期

照料和發展問題，並應涵蓋兒童的個性特徵和發展特點、種族、文化、語言和宗

教背景、家庭和社會環境、醫療病史及任何特殊需要。

59. 從主管當局接受評估後的初步報告和審查報告之時起，即應將這些報告作為

決策規劃的基本工具，以便除其他外，避免造成不當干擾和出現裁決不一致的情

況。

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60. 頻繁變換照料環境對兒童的發展及情感培養能力是有害的，應予以避免。短

期安置應以幫助確定適當的永久性解決辦法為目標。應在沒有無謂拖延的情況

下，通過使兒童融入其小家庭或大家庭，或在不可能做到這一點時，使其融入替

代性的穩定家庭環境，抑或在適用上文第 21 段的情況下，使其融入穩定且適當的

寄宿照料環境，從而確保兒童安排的永久性。

61. 規劃提供照料及確保永久性的工作應儘早展開，最好是在兒童進入照料環

境之前，同時須慮及所審議備選方案的當下和長期優缺點，並包含短期和長期建

議。

62. 規劃提供照料及確保永久性的工作應特別基於下列幾點，從而避免分離：兒

童對其家庭屬何種依戀關係，程度如何；家庭保障兒童福祉和協調發展的能力；

兒童感受身為家庭一員的需要或願望；兒童留在所處社區和國家的必要性；兒童

的文化、語言和宗教背景及兒童與兄弟姐妹的關係等。

63. 除其它外，所訂出的計畫應清楚列明安置目標及旨在實現這些目標的措施。

64. 兒童及其父母或法定監護人應充分瞭解可用的替代性照料備選方案、各種方

案的影響及其在該事項中的權利和義務。

65. 在準備、執行和評價面向兒童的保護措施時，應盡最大可能讓其父母或法定

監護人及可能的寄養照管人和照料者參與進來，並尊重兒童的特定需要、信仰和特

殊願望。在決策進程中，主管當局還可應兒童、父母或法定監護人的要求，酌情

決定諮詢兒童生活中其他重要人物的意見。

66. 各國應確保正式任命的法院、法庭抑或行政或其他主管機關以替代性照料方

式安置的任何兒童，以及兒童的父母或其他承擔父母責任者，有機會在法院做出

安置決定前陳述自己的意見，獲知他們有陳述意見的權利並得到相關協助。

67. 各國應確保被臨時照料的兒童有權要求對其照料和待遇的適當性進行定期、

全面審查，最好是至少每三個月一次。審查應特別考慮到兒童的個性發展和不斷

變化的需要、家庭環境的發展，以及從這些方面考慮的現行安置的適當性和必要性。

審查工作應由有適當資格並獲授權的人開展，同時應使兒童及兒童生活中的所有

相關人員充分參與進來。

68. 應使兒童做好準備，以面對規劃和審查進程造成的照料環境的各種變動。

七. 提供替代性照料

A. 政策

69. 國家或適當級別政府機構有責任確保制定和執行協調一致的政策，為所有無

父母照料兒童提供正規和非正規照料。這些政策應當基於可靠的資訊和統計資

料。它們應確定一種程式，決定由誰負責照料兒童，同時考慮到兒童的父母或主

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要照料者在兒童的保護、照料和發展中的作用。除非另有說明，兒童的父母或主

要照料者應承擔推定責任。

70. 所有與民間社會合作，參與轉送無父母照料兒童並為其提供援助的國家實

體，應採取有利於機構與個人資訊共用和建立網路聯繫的政策和程式，確保這些

兒童得到有效照料、善後和保護。應當確定替代性照料監督機構所在地點和/或運

作模式，最大限度地方便那些需要提供服務的人。

71. 應特別注意保證替代性照料的品質，無論是寄宿照料還是家居照料，特別是

在照料者的專業技能、挑選、訓練和監管方面。應明確界定和澄清這兩類照料者

相對于兒童父母或法定監護人的作用與職責。

72. 各國主管當局應起草有關文件，規定與本導則一致的受替代性照料兒童的權

利。應當使受替代性照料兒童能夠充分瞭解照料環境的規則、規章和目標，以及

他們應有的權利和義務。

73. 所有替代性照料服務均應基於提供者的一份書面聲明，說明提供服務的目的

2

和目標，以及提供者對兒童承擔的責任的性質，它反映了《兒童權利公約》、 本導

則和適用法律所規定的標準。所有提供者都應具有適當資格或根據法律規定獲得

核准，可以提供替代性照料服務。

74. 應制定一個監管框架，確保按照標準程式把兒童轉送或安置到某種替代性照

料環境。

75. 應尊重和促進提供替代性照料方面的文化和宗教習俗，包括與性別觀點有關

的文化和宗教習俗，如果這些習俗能夠表明符合兒童的權利和最大利益。應通過廣泛

參與的方式考慮是否應當提倡此種習俗，促使有關文化和宗教領袖、專業人員和無

父母照料兒童照料者、父母和其他有關利益攸關者以及兒童本人共同參與。

1. 非正規照料

76. 為保證個人或家庭提供的非正規照料符合適當的照料條件，各國應承認這種

類型的照料所發揮的作用並採取適當措施，在對可能需要給予特別援助或監督的

特定環境進行評估的基礎上支援提供最佳照料方式。

77. 主管當局應酌情鼓勵非正規照料者通報其照料安排，並且應設法保證使他們

獲得所有可提供的服務和福利，便於其履行照料和保護兒童的職責。

78. 國家應當確認非正規照料者對兒童承擔的事實責任。

79. 各國應制定適當的特別措施，旨在保護非正規照料環境中的兒童不受虐待、

忽視、童工和其他所有形式剝削的傷害，尤其關注由非親屬和兒童以前不認識的

親屬提供的非正規照料，或者遠離兒童慣常居住地的非正規照料。

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2. 適用於一切形式正規替代性照料安排的一般條件

80. 安置兒童接受替代性照料時，應採取顧及兒童特點和關愛兒童的方式，尤其

應有受過專門訓練和原則上不穿制服的人員參與。

81. 採用替代性照料方式安置兒童時，應符合兒童保護和最大利益原則，鼓勵和

便利與兒童的家人以及與兒童關係親密的其他人，比如朋友、鄰居和以前的照料

者保持聯繫。在未與家人接觸的情況下，兒童應有權獲取有關其家庭成員狀況的資

訊。

82. 各國應特別注意保證由於父母被監禁或長期住院而接受替代性照料的兒童

有機會與其父母保持聯繫，並接受這方面必要的心理輔導和支持。

83. 照料者應按照當地飲食習慣和有關飲食標準以及兒童的宗教信仰，確保兒童

獲得足夠的健康和有營養的食物。必要時還應提供適當的營養補充。

84. 照料者應促進所照料兒童的健康，並根據需要做出安排，保證為其提供醫療

保健、心理輔導和支援。

85. 兒童應根據自身權利，盡最大可能在當地社區教育機構中獲得正規、非正規

教育和職業教育。

86. 照料者應確保尊重每個兒童，包括身心障礙兒童、帶有或感染愛滋病毒/愛

滋病的兒童或有任何特殊需求的兒童，通過遊戲和娛樂活動獲得身心發展的權利，

並為在照料環境內外開展此種活動創造機會。應鼓勵和便利與當地社區中的兒童

和其他人保持聯繫。

87. 在所有照料環境中均應滿足嬰幼兒，包括有特殊需要的兒童，在特定安全、

健康、營養和發展方面的需要及其他需要，包括保護其對某一特定照料者日漸產

生的依戀感情。

88. 應允許兒童滿足其宗教和精神生活的需要，包括接受其所屬宗教合格代表的

探視，並自由決定參加或不參加宗教儀式、宗教教育或宗教輔導。應尊重兒童本

人的宗教背景，不應鼓勵或說服任何兒童在照料期間改變其宗教或信仰。

89. 所有對兒童負有責任的成年人應尊重和促進隱私權，包括提供適當設施以滿

足個人衛生和環境衛生需要，尊重性別差異和互動關係，以及為個人物品提供足

夠、可靠和便於取用的存儲空間。

90. 照料者應瞭解他們在與兒童建立積極、安全和培養的關係方面所起的重要作

用，並且應能發揮這種作用。

91. 所有替代性照料環境的住宿條件應滿足衛生與安全方面的要求。

92. 各國必須通過其主管部門確保為受替代性照料兒童提供的住宿條件和對此

種安置的監督工作能夠有效地保護兒童免受虐待。在決定兒童的生活安排時，需

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要特別注意每個兒童的年齡、成熟度和易受傷害程度。旨在保護兒童的措施應與

法律相一致，不應使兒童與其所在社區同齡兒童相比在自由和行為方面受到不合

理的限制。

93. 所有替代性照料環境都應提供充分保護，防止兒童遭受誘拐、販運、買賣和

其他一切形式剝削。任何因此而對兒童自由和言行的限制，都不應超出確保有效

保護其免受此種行為傷害的必要限度。

94. 所有照料者都應促進和鼓勵兒童和青年人作出和行使知情選擇，同時考慮到

可接受的風險程度和兒童年齡，並應符合他/她不斷發展的能力。

95. 國家、機構和設施、學校和其他社區服務機構應採取適當措施，確保受替代

性照料兒童在安置期間或安置之後不蒙受恥辱。這應包括努力盡可能減少對兒童進

行受替代性照料身份的識別。

96. 所有紀律措施和行為管理，凡構成酷刑、殘忍、不人道或有辱人格待遇，包

括禁閉或單獨禁閉，或可能危害兒童身心健康的其他任何形式身體和心理暴力

者，都必須按照國際人權法予以嚴格禁止。各國必須採取一切必要措施，防止發

生此種行為，並確保依法予以懲處。絕不應把限制兒童與其家人和其他對兒童特別

重要的人接觸作為一種處罰手段。

97. 不應允許使用武力和任何性質的限制，但為保障兒童或他人的身體或心理完

整所絕對必要者除外，並且應符合法律規定，採用合理和相稱的方式，尊重兒童

的基本權利。通過藥物和醫療手段實施限制，應以治療需要為基礎，沒有專家的評

價和處方不得使用。

98. 受照料兒童應可接觸他們所信賴的能以完全保密方式向其傾訴的人。此人應

由主管當局指定，並征得有關兒童的同意。應讓兒童知道，在某些情況下，法律

或道德標準可能會要求背棄保密義務。

99. 受照料兒童應可利用已知的有效和公正的機制，能夠通過該機制，就他們的

安置待遇或條件提出申訴或關切。此種機制應包括初步磋商、回饋、執行和進一

步磋商。以前有過受照料經歷的青年人應參與這一進程，對他們的意見給予應有

的重視。這項工作應由經過培訓、勝任兒童和青年人工作的人來完成。

100.為促進兒童自我認同的意識，應在兒童的參與下保存一本生活手冊，收入適

當資訊、照片、個人物品和與兒童生命中每一足跡相關的紀念物，伴隨其整個成

長過程。

B. 對兒童的法律責任

101. 在兒童父母不在或不能作出符合兒童最大利益的日常決定，以及主管行政

機關或司法當局已下令或授權採用替代性照料方式安置兒童的情況下，指定的個

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人或主管實體應享有法律權利和責任，在與兒童充分協商後，代替父母作出此種

決定。各國應確保機制到位，指定這樣的個人或實體。

102. 這種法律責任應由主管當局認定並直接監督，或通過正式認可的實體，包

括非政府組織進行監督。對於有關個人或實體所採取的行動，應由指定機構實施

問責。

103. 承擔此種法律責任的人應當聲譽良好，掌握兒童問題的相關知識，能夠直

接從事兒童工作，並瞭解託付給他們的兒童的任何特殊需求和文化需求。他們應

接受這方面的適當培訓和專業支援。他們應能夠做出符合有關兒童最大利益的獨

立和公正的決定，促進和保障每個兒童的福祉。

104. 被指定的人或實體的作用和具體責任應包括：

(a) 確保兒童的權利得到保護，尤其確保兒童獲得適當照料、膳宿、保健服

務、發展機會、心理支援、教育和語言支援；

(b) 確保兒童必要時可獲得法律和其它代理人的服務，與兒童進行協商，以

便決策部門考慮到兒童的意見，同時向兒童提供建議並讓其隨時瞭解自己的權

利；

(c) 促使確定一項符合兒童最大利益的穩定的解決辦法；

(d) 在兒童與可能為兒童提供服務的各種組織之間建立一種聯繫；

(e) 協助兒童尋找家人下落；

(f) 如果實施遣返或家庭團聚，確保其符合兒童的最大利益；

(g) 酌情幫助兒童保持與家人的聯繫。

1. 負責正規照料的機構和設施

105. 法律應規定，所有機構和設施都必須登記，由社會福利機構或其他主管當

局授權經營；不遵守這些法律者即構成犯罪，應依法予以懲處。主管當局應給予授

權並根據標準進行定期審查，此種標準至少應包含機構或設施的目標、職能、工作

人員徵聘和資格、照料條件和財政資源和管理。

106. 所有機構和設施都應有與本導則一致的書面政策和做法說明，明確闡明其

目標、政策、以及招募、監督、監管和評估合格和適當的照料者的適用方法和標

準，以確保實現這些目標。

107. 所有機構和設施都應制定與本導則一致的工作人員行為守則，明確每個專

業人員尤其是照料者的作用，包括對涉及任何工作人員瀆職行為指控的明確的報

告程式。

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108. 為提供照料而提供資金的形式，絕不應導致鼓勵對兒童進行不必要的安置

或讓兒童在由機構或設施作出或提供的照料安排中長時間逗留。

109. 應維持有關替代性照料服務機構行政管理的全面最新紀錄，包括有關所有

受照料兒童、工作人員和金融交易的詳細檔案。

110. 有關受照料兒童的記錄應當完整、內容新、保密和安全，應包括有關接收

兒童和兒童離去，每個兒童的照料安置形式、內容和細節的資訊，以及任何有關身

份證明檔和其他個人資訊。在兒童的檔案以及基於定期評價的報告中應列入有關兒

童家庭情況的資訊。此種記錄應收錄兒童在整個替代性照料期間的情況， 負責照料

兒童的經適當授權的專業人員應可查閱。

111. 在兒童的隱私權和保密性允許的限度內，可酌情允許兒童以及父母或監護

人查閱上述記錄。在查閱記錄前後和期間，應提供適當的心理輔導。

112. 所有替代性照料服務機構均應有明確的政策，對每個兒童的有關資訊予以

保密，所有照料者均應瞭解並遵守這項規定。

113. 作為一個良好慣例，所有機構和設施均應有系統地確保在雇用照料者和其

他直接與兒童打交道的工作人員之前，對其是否適合從事兒童工作做出適當的和

全面的評估。

114. 機構和設施為雇用的照料者提供的工作條件，包括薪酬，應能最大限度地

調動其積極性，產生工作滿足感並保持任職連續性，使其願意以最適當和最有效

的方式發揮作用。

115. 應為所有照料者提供有關培訓，使他們瞭解無父母照料兒童的權利以及兒

童在特別困難情況中，如緊急安置或在其慣常居住地以外地點安置時，所面臨的

特殊脆弱狀況。還應保證對文化、社會、性別和宗教問題具有敏感認識。各國還

應提供足夠的資源和管道，肯定這些專業人員所作的工作，以便有利於這些規定得

到執行。

116. 應向所有機構和設施雇用的照料人員提供培訓，以恰當處理具有挑戰性的

行為，包括解決衝突的方法和手段，防止發生傷害或自我傷害行為。

117. 機構和設施應確保照料者酌情做好準備，以照顧有特殊需要的兒童，尤其

是攜帶愛滋病毒/患有愛滋病或其他慢性身心疾病的兒童和有身體或心智障礙的兒

童。

2. 寄 養

118. 主管當局或機構應制定一項制度，並應培訓有關工作人員，評估兒童的

需要，使之與潛在寄養照料者的能力與資源相稱，並使所有有關人員作好安置準備。

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119. 各地均應確定一批獲得認可的寄養照料者，能夠為兒童提供照料和保護，

同時與家庭、社區和文化團體保持聯繫。

120. 應建立寄養照料者特別準備、支援和輔導服務機構，定期以及在安置前

後和期間為照料者提供此種服務。

121. 在寄養機構和其他照料無父母照料兒童的系統內，照料者應有機會發表

意見和影響政策。

122. 應鼓勵建立寄養照料者聯合會，以提供重要的相互支持，並促進制定常

規做法與政策。

C. 寄宿照料

123. 提供寄宿照料的設施規模宜小，應圍繞兒童的權利和需要來安排，環境

應儘量與家庭或小群體環境接近。目標一般應為提供臨時照料，並積極促進兒童

與家人團聚，如果做不到這一點，則確保兒童在替代性家庭環境中得到穩定的照料，

包括酌情通過收養或伊斯蘭法的“卡法拉”(監護)給予照料。

124. 應採取措施，以便在必要和適當的情況下，可將只需要給予保護和受替

代性照料的兒童與受刑事司法系統懲處的兒童分開安置。

125. 國家或地方主管當局應制定嚴格的篩選程式，確保此種設施只接收適當

兒童。

126. 各國應確保寄宿照料環境有足夠的照料人員，可實現個性化照料，並酌

情使兒童有機會與特定的照料者建立密切的關係。照料環境對照料者的安排也應

便於有效地實現各項目標，確保兒童受到保護。

127. 法律、政策和規章應禁止機構、設施或個人就寄宿照料安置，對兒童進

行招募和遊說。

D. 檢查和監督

128. 參與提供照料的機構、設施和專業人員應對特定公共當局負責，公共當

局則應，除其他外，確保經常檢查工作，包括計畫訪問和不經宣佈的訪問，與工

作人員和兒童進行討論和瞭解情況。

129. 可能和適當的情況下，檢查職能應包括對照料提供者的培訓和能力建設

部分。

130. 應鼓勵各國確保設立獨立監督機制，同時充分考慮到有關促進和保護人

8

權的國家機構的地位的原則(《巴黎原則》)。 監督機制應易於兒童、父母和無

父母照料兒童工作人員使用。監督機制的職能應包括：

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第48/134 號決議，附件。

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(a) 在無人干擾的情況下與各種形式受替代性照料兒童交換意見，訪問他們

所生活的照料環境，並根據申訴或主動對這些環境中任何侵犯兒童權利的指控進

行調查；

(b) 對有關當局提出相關的政策建議，目的在於改善失去父母照料的兒童的

待遇，確保其與有關兒童保護、健康、發展和照料的有影響的研究成果相一致；

(c) 提交有關立法草案的建議和意見；

2

(d) 獨立促進《兒童權利公約》 下的提交報告進程，包括促進向兒童權利

委員會提交有關本導則執行情況的締約國定期報告。

E. 支持善後

131. 對於計畫內和計畫外結束的兒童工作，機構和設施應有明確的政策並應

執行商定的程式，確保落實適當的善後安置和(或)後續行動。在整個照料期間，它

們應系統地旨在使兒童為今後自食其力和充分融入社會做好準備，特別是通過參

與當地社區生活，獲得社會和生活技能。

132. 從受照料轉為善後安置，這一過程應考慮到兒童的性別、年齡、成熟度

和特殊情況，包括心理輔導和支持，尤其是避免遭受剝削。應鼓勵即將離開照料

環境的兒童參與規劃善後安置。有特殊需要的兒童，如身心障礙兒童，應受益於一

個適當的支援系統，除其他外，確保避免不必要的機構安置。應鼓勵公私兩部門，

包括採取激勵措施促使其雇用來自不同照料服務機構的兒童，尤其是有特殊需要的

兒童。

133. 應特別努力盡可能為每個兒童指派一名專業人士，協助其在結束受照料

生活時實現自立。

134. 在安置上應儘早對善後安置做好準備，無論如何這項工作應在兒童離開

照料環境前即已做好。

135. 應為即將離開照料環境的青年人提供持續的教育和職業培訓機會，作為

生活技能教育的一部分，幫助他們實現經濟獨立，有自己的收入。

136. 還應為即將脫離照料環境和善後安置的青年人提供獲得社會、法律和保

健服務的機會以及適當的財政支持。

八. 在慣常居住地國以外為兒童提供照料

A. 安置兒童到國外接受照料

137. 本導則應適用於所有公私實體，以及所有參與安排兒童去其慣常居住地

國以外的國家接受照料的人，不論是出於治療、臨時託付、臨時照料或其他任何

原因。

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138. 有關國家應確保指定的機構負責確定必須滿足的具體標準，特別是在東

道國的照料者甄選標準、照料品質和後續行動，以及監督和監測這些計畫的運作。

139. 為確保在這種情況下適當開展國際合作和保護兒童，鼓勵各國批准或加

入1996 年10 月19 日《關於在父母責任和保護兒童措施方面的管轄權、適用法律、

9

承認、執行和合作的海牙公約》。

B. 為已在國外的兒童提供照料

140. 本導則以及其他有關國際規定，應適用於所有公私實體及所有參與安排

在其慣常居住地國以外的國家需要照顧的兒童的人，不論出於何種原因。

141. 已在國外的無人陪伴或失散兒童原則上應享有與有關國家的兒童同等

水準的保護和照料。

142. 在決定提供適當的照料時，應在逐案的基礎上考慮到無人陪伴或失散兒

童各自情況的不同和差異，如種族或移民背景，或文化和宗教多樣性。

143. 無人陪伴或失散兒童，包括通過非正規途徑到達某一國家的兒童，原則

上不應僅因違反有關領土入境和逗留的法律規定即被剝奪其自由。

144. 受販賣活動之害的兒童不應因其被迫捲入非法活動而由員警拘留或受

到懲處。

145. 大力鼓勵各國在無人陪伴兒童身份被確認後，立即指定一名監護人，必

要時由負責該兒童的照料和福祉的組織的代表在身份確定和決策過程中全程陪

伴兒童。

146. 一旦無人陪伴或失散兒童開始接受照料，應作出一切合理的努力，在符

合兒童最大利益且不會危及參與者的情況下，尋找他/她的家人下落並重建家庭聯

繫。

147. 為協助規劃無人陪伴或失散兒童的未來生活，以最佳方式保護他/她的

權利，有關國家和社會服務當局應做出一切合理努力，設法獲得有關檔和資料，

以便對兒童在其慣常居住地國的風險和社會狀況及家庭條件進行評估。

148. 在以下幾種情況下，不得將無人陪伴或失散兒童送回其慣常居住地國：

(a) 如果根據風險和安全評估，有理由相信兒童的安全和安保受到威脅；

(b) 除非在送回兒童之前，合適的照料者，如父母、其他親屬、其他成人看護

者、原籍國政府機構或受權機構或設施，已同意並且有能力對該兒童承擔責任， 為他/

她提供適當照料和保護；

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聯合國，《條約彙編》，第 2204 卷，第 39130 號。

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(c) 如果按照主管部門的評估，出於其他原因，送回兒童不符合其最大利益。

149. 應銘記上述目標，促進、加強和增進國家、地區、地方當局和民間社會

團體之間的合作。

150. 在符合兒童的最大利益並且不會危及兒童或其家人時，應當預見領事部

門或無領事部門時原籍國的法律代表會有效參與。

151. 負責無人陪伴或失散兒童福祉的人，應協助兒童與其家人經常溝通，除

非這樣做違背兒童本人的意願，或明顯不符合他/她的最大利益。

152. 對於無人陪伴或失散兒童，以收養或伊斯蘭法的“卡法拉”(監護)為目的 的

安置，不應視為合適的初步選擇。鼓勵各國在為找到兒童的父母、大家庭或慣常

照料者作出一切努力之後，再考慮這一選擇。

九. 緊急狀況下的照料

A. 導則的適用

153. 本導則應繼續適用于自然災害和人為災害，包括國際和非國際武裝衝突

以及外國佔領所產生的緊急狀況。大力鼓勵希望為緊急狀態下無父母照料的兒童

提供服務的個人和組織依照本導則行事。

154. 在這種情況下，國家或有關地區事實上的當局、國際社會和所有提供或

有意提供側重兒童的服務的地方、國家、外國和國際機構應特別注意：

(d) 確保參與處理無人陪伴或失散兒童問題的所有實體和個人具有足夠豐

富的經驗，受過專門培訓，有應變能力，並具備以適當方式行事的條件；

(e) 必要時發展臨時和長期家居照料服務；

(f) 寄宿照料只作為一項臨時措施使用，直到能夠發展家居照料服務；

(g) 禁止建立新的適於同時照料大批兒童的永久性或長期性寄宿設施；

(h) 防止兒童跨界流離失所，下文第 160 段中所述情況除外；

(i) 強制規定應合作尋找兒童家人下落並幫助兒童重返家庭。

防止分離

155. 各組織和當局應盡一切努力防止兒童與其父母或主要照顧者分離，除非

出於兒童最大利益的需要，並且應確保它們的行動不是只向兒童而不向家庭提供

服務和福利，從而無形中鼓勵家庭分離。

156. 應通過以下途徑防止兒童的父母或其他主要照顧者採取分離做法：

(j) 確保所有家庭能夠獲得基本食品和醫療用品及其他服務，包括教育；

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(k) 限制訂立寄宿照料選擇辦法，而且僅限於在絕對必要的情況下使用。

B. 照料安排

157. 應協助社區發揮積極作用，監督和處理當地環境中兒童所面臨的照料和

保護問題。

158. 應鼓勵在兒童所屬社區內提供照料，包括寄養，從而在社會生活和發展

方面保持連續性。

159. 由於無人陪伴或失散兒童可能遭受虐待和剝削的風險最高，因而應當預

見到對照料者的監督和具體支持，以確保這些兒童得到保護。

160. 陷入緊急情況中的兒童不應被轉到其慣常居住國以外的國家進行替代

性照料，出於健康、醫療或安全等原因的臨時性照料者除外。在這種情況下，提

供照料的地點應盡可能不遠離兒童家庭，由父母一方或兒童認識的照顧者陪伴，並

制定明確的返回計畫。

161. 如果重返家庭在一定時期內證明是不可行的或被認為違反兒童的最大

利益，則應考慮確定穩妥的解決辦法，如收養或伊斯蘭法的“卡法拉”(監護)；如 果

做不到這一點，則應考慮採取其他的長期選擇辦法，如寄養照料或適當寄宿照料，

包括集體之家和其他有監督的生活安排。

C. 尋找家人下落和重返家庭

162. 查明、登記和登記無人陪伴或失散兒童，在任何緊急情況下均為優先事項，

並且應儘快予以落實。

163. 登記活動應由國家當局和明確受權負責這項工作並有這方面經驗的實

體進行或在其直接監督下進行。

164. 應當對所收集的資訊予以保密，而且應建立相關系統，以便安全發送和

存儲資訊的系統。資訊應僅供經適當授權的機構為尋找家人下落、重返家庭和照

料之目的使用。

165. 所有參與尋找家庭成員或主要法律或習慣照顧者下落的人，均應在一個

協調系統下開展工作，在可能的情況下採用標準形式和相互相容的程式。他們應

確保所採取的行動不會危及兒童和其他有關人員安全。

166. 必須核實每一個兒童親屬關係的合法性，並確認兒童有與家庭成員團聚

的意願。在所有的追查工作完成之前，不應採取任何可能妨礙最終重返家庭的行動，

如收養、更改姓名或遠離可能找到家人的地方。

167. 應以安全和可靠的方式建立和保存有關兒童安置情況的適當記錄，以便

將來對家庭團聚有所幫助。

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