This excerpt from the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report discusses the use of child-friendly spaces to provide comprehensive assistance and support to child trafficking victims in other settings. These spaces, which can be a separate room or even just a corner of a regular interview room, are typically located in existing structures such as policeContinue reading “U.S. Department of State (2021) Child-Friendly Spaces for Survivors of Human Trafficking”
Author Archives: childfriendlyspaces.com
Kriel (2014) Planning Child-Friendly Spaces for Rural Areas in South Africa: The Vallharts Case Study
Child-friendly spaces are not successfully implemented in South Africa due to problems such as urbanization, development pressure, lack of qualitative openspaces and lack of policy and legislation guiding the planning and protection of such spaces. This study evaluates local and international planning approaches of child-friendly spaces in an attempt to identify best practices and exploreContinue reading “Kriel (2014) Planning Child-Friendly Spaces for Rural Areas in South Africa: The Vallharts Case Study”
Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center (2021) Toolkit for Reemerging Child Advocacy Centers
The purpose of this toolkit is to provide guidance and sample documents regarding how Child Advocacy Centers can re-emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and provide services while protecting the health of their staff, clients, MDT partners, board members, and visitors. These recommendations are based upon guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionContinue reading “Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center (2021) Toolkit for Reemerging Child Advocacy Centers”
Elmquist et al. (2015) A review of Children’s Advocacy Centers’ (CACs) response to cases of child maltreatment in the United States
Child maltreatment is a serious and prevalent problem in the United States. Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) were established in 1985 to better respond to cases of child maltreatment and address problems associated with an uncoordinated community-wide response to child maltreatment. CACs are community-based, multidisciplinary organizations that seek to improve the response and prosecution of childContinue reading “Elmquist et al. (2015) A review of Children’s Advocacy Centers’ (CACs) response to cases of child maltreatment in the United States”
National Institute of Justice (2004) A Resource for Evaluating Child Advocacy Centers
This resource, written expressly for Child Advocacy Center administrators, is designed to give administrators who have varying amounts of evaluation experience the knowledge they will need to conduct either one-time or ongoing evaluations.This manual can also be used by those who contract with an external evaluator;it will be helpful in educating external evaluators about theContinue reading “National Institute of Justice (2004) A Resource for Evaluating Child Advocacy Centers”
Rasmusson (2011) Children’s Advocacy Centers (Barnahus) in Sweden: Experiences of Children and Parents
This article is based on an evaluation of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) in six municipalities in Sweden 2006–2007. The study concerned cooperation between different authorities (police, social services, public prosecutor, forensic medicine, pediatrics and child psychiatry) responsible for children who were suspected of being exposed to sexual or physical abuse. It is anticipated that useContinue reading “Rasmusson (2011) Children’s Advocacy Centers (Barnahus) in Sweden: Experiences of Children and Parents”
National Children’s Advocacy Center (2021) Children’s Advocacy Centers – The Literature: A Topical Bibliography
This bibliography provides citations and abstracts to English language publications pertaining to Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) and similar organizations founded upon the core CAC model. It also includes publications produced in conjunction with CACs, such as research that took place in CACs or involved CAC personnel. English language international publications are also included. The bibliographyContinue reading “National Children’s Advocacy Center (2021) Children’s Advocacy Centers – The Literature: A Topical Bibliography”
Browne (2013) Child-Friendly Spaces for Adolescent Girls in Emergency Settings
This desk-based report provides a rapid syntheses of key literature and of expert thinking in response to the question “What is the evidence that child-friendly spaces in emergency settings address the specific needs of adolescent girls (particularly with regards to preventing violence)?” Back to Resources
Save the Children (2009) Child Friendly Spaces Facilitator Training Manual
This training manual is a reference that guides Save the Children emergency response personnel and implementing partners in the rapid implementation of effective child friendly spaces for children during and immediately after an emergency such as a natural disaster or situation of armed conflict. These trainings should be implemented by Save the Children staff orContinue reading “Save the Children (2009) Child Friendly Spaces Facilitator Training Manual”
Save the Children (n.d.) Child Safe Programming Guidelines
This document sets out guidance on how to implement child safe programming within the context of Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy. For the purposes of these guidelines, “programming” refers to programs and projects, as well as to events and activities, which contribute to policy, advocacy and campaigns, delivered directly by Save the Children orContinue reading “Save the Children (n.d.) Child Safe Programming Guidelines”
UNICEF (2014) Documenting Child Friendly Spaces Across Typhoon Haiyan Affected Areas
This case study documents the role that child-friendly spaces have played as a response mechanism in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines, including transition/exit strategies, best practices, and challenges. The case study provides lessons from the Philippines context to provide insight on a broad level into the role of child-friendly spaces andContinue reading “UNICEF (2014) Documenting Child Friendly Spaces Across Typhoon Haiyan Affected Areas”
Theirworld (2016) Safe Spaces: The Urgent Need for Early Childhood Development in Emergencies and Disasters
This resource explains how Safe Spaces can provide holistic support to help babies and young children overcome the physical, emotional and psychological trauma inflicted by emergencies. It includes case studies of successful projects and demonstrates the amazing resilience of children who, with good support, can thrive in the most adverse circumstances. Back to Resources
Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (2019) Resources for Safe Spaces for Children in Humanitarian Settings
This set of resources covers psychosocial elements key to Safe Space programming and have detailed activities to support their implementation. They can also be used to complement and reinforce one another. Back to Resources
World Vision et al. (2016) Evaluating the Effectiveness of Child Friendly Spaces in IDP Camps in Eastern DRC: Goma Field Study Summary Report
Child-friendly spaces are used by humanitarian agencies as a means to promote protection and psychosocial wellbeing for children in emergency settings. World Vision International together with Columbia University conducted a series of studies to investigate the effectiveness of CFS in various humanitarian contexts in order to document evidence of the positive effects they have inContinue reading “World Vision et al. (2016) Evaluating the Effectiveness of Child Friendly Spaces in IDP Camps in Eastern DRC: Goma Field Study Summary Report”
Christian Children’s Fund (2008) Starting Up Child Centered Spaces in Emergencies: A Field Manual
This manual describes Christian Children’s Fund child protection framework, which provides the conceptual foundation for establishing child-centered spaces (CCSs). The manual then provides 13 practical steps for implementing CCSs. The annexes and a reference list provide supplemental resources for working with CCSs, including assessment tools, community mobilization guidelines, additional training modules, and record keeping andContinue reading “Christian Children’s Fund (2008) Starting Up Child Centered Spaces in Emergencies: A Field Manual”
Community Child Protection Exchange (2018) Community Management of Child Friendly Spaces: Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, Uganda
This case study describes how a Ugandan NGO, the Transcultural Psychoscoial Organisation Uganda (TPO Uganda), involved the community in creating child-friendly spaces to protect children. Back to Resources
World Vision et al. (2016) Evaluation of Child Friendly Spaces: Tools and Guidance for Monitoring and Evaluating CFS
This resource provides practical guidance to child protection practitioners for monitoring and evaluating child-friendly spaces. It presents tools for planning and implementing, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of CFS. For each tool, the objectives are explained, along with insights and lessons on the usefulness of the tool based on the learning and experiencesContinue reading “World Vision et al. (2016) Evaluation of Child Friendly Spaces: Tools and Guidance for Monitoring and Evaluating CFS”
People in Need (2015) Quality Standards Checklist for the Establishment and Operation of Child Friendly Spaces
These checklists provide simple guidance on minimum standards for the establishment and operation of child-friendly spaces. They include questions to check that every stage of the process has been completed properly – from inclusion in the proposal, to budgeting, implementation and M&E. Back to Resources
Catholic Relief Services (2018) Quality Checklist for Child Psychosocial Support and Child Friendly Spaces
This checklist is intended to help child psychosocial support and child friendly space supervisors adhere to quality standards during program implementation. It is a general list that will need to be modified based on the specific context. Elements of this list can be used to create monitoring tools, including for monitoring the quality of psychosocialContinue reading “Catholic Relief Services (2018) Quality Checklist for Child Psychosocial Support and Child Friendly Spaces”
Child Protection Working Group (2018) Child Friendly Spaces Minimum Standards Cox’s Bazar – Rohingya Emergency Response
These minimum standards outline the steps to set up and run a CFS in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. They include community-based child protection mechanisms, safety and security principles, and considerations in how to close a CFS. Back to Resources
Handicap International France (n.d.) How to Include Children with Disabilities in Child-Friendly Spaces
This handout offers ways to be more inclusive of children with disabilities in child-friendly spaces in humanitarian settings. Back to Resources
World Vision et al. (2016) Longer-Term Mental Health, Developmental and Systems Impacts of Child Friendly Space Interventions in Humanitarian Emergencies
World Vision and Columbia University, working with Save the Children, UNICEF, and Mercy Corps, undertook a three-year collaborative project to document the outcomes and impacts of CFS and develop capacity for rigorous evaluation. These agencies regularly implement CFS as part of their emergency responses and agreed through this collaboration to support studies of their CFSContinue reading “World Vision et al. (2016) Longer-Term Mental Health, Developmental and Systems Impacts of Child Friendly Space Interventions in Humanitarian Emergencies”
Plan International (2016) Child and Adolescent Friendly Spaces. Providing Child Protection and Education in Emergencies: A Case study from the Nepal 2015 Earthquake Response
This case study describes child- and adolescent-friendly spaces set up by Plan International after the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Lessons learned include the importance of early involvement of parents and caregivers in the activities to reinforce awareness raising and protection of children; pre-positioning of materials such as tents and play materials; and the importance of intensiveContinue reading “Plan International (2016) Child and Adolescent Friendly Spaces. Providing Child Protection and Education in Emergencies: A Case study from the Nepal 2015 Earthquake Response”
Plan International (2017) Child Friendly Spaces Providing Child Protection and Education in Conflict Settings: A Case Study from Timbuktu, Mali
This case study examines lessons learned from three child-friendly spaces established by Plan International in conflict-affected communities in Timbuktu (out of a total of eight spaces that reached 4,400 children in Plan International’s humanitarian response in Northern Mali). The findings emphasize the importance of establishing safe spaces at trusted, central places in the community toContinue reading “Plan International (2017) Child Friendly Spaces Providing Child Protection and Education in Conflict Settings: A Case Study from Timbuktu, Mali”
World Vision (2012) Child Friendly Spaces: A Structured Review of the Current Evidence-Base
This structured review of published and “grey” literature identified ten studies on the positive outcomes of CFS, particularly with respect to psychosocial well-being. Analysis of these studies suggests that greater commitment to documentation and measurement of outcomes and impacts is required; more standardized and rigorous measurement of processes, outputs, outcomes and impacts is necessary; evaluationContinue reading “World Vision (2012) Child Friendly Spaces: A Structured Review of the Current Evidence-Base”
World Vision (2015) Evaluation of Child Friendly Spaces
World Vision and Columbia University, working with Save the Children, UNICEF and others, engaged in a three-year collaborative project to document the outcomes and impacts of CFS and develop capacity for rigorous evaluation. This report presents a summary of those findings. Back to Resources
Save the Children (2017) Child Friendly Spaces in Reception Centers
In the autumn of 2015, Save the Children Finland piloted a child-friendly space in an asylum center (utilizing an intervention in a Finnish context that is usually implemented in the countries in which the humanitarian emergency has occurred). This report covers the challenges faced during the pilot and the key lessons learned. Back to Resources
Hermosilla et al. (2019) Child friendly spaces impact across five humanitarian settings: a meta-analysis
Humanitarian crises present major threats to the well-being of children. Humanitarian response efforts frequently address these threats through psychosocial programming, such as child-friendly spaces. This analysis assesses the impact of child-friendly spaces after humanitarian emergencies. Back to Resources
World Vision and IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support (2019) Toolkit for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings
The Toolkit for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings provides a set of materials to assist managers and facilitators/animators in setting up and implementing quality CFS. These resources have at their core the protection of children from harm; the promotion of psychosocial well-being; and the engagement of community and caregiver capacities. The CFS Toolkit includes:Continue reading “World Vision and IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support (2019) Toolkit for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings”
Child Protection Working Group (2019) Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) have become one of the key resources for humanitarian workers since its launch in 2012. The CPMS have been developed to support child protection work in humanitarian settings by: Establishing common principles between those working in child protection; Strengthening coordination between humanitarian actors; Improving the quality of child protection programming andContinue reading “Child Protection Working Group (2019) Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action”
Plan International (2013) Inclusion in Child Friendly Spaces: A Study on Barriers and Good Practices
This study examined how a child-friendly space (CFS) can address the needs of children of different sexes, ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Based on fieldwork conducted in the Philippines and a desk review on CFS world-wide, the findings include issues and challenges faced by different children and good practices and recommendations to overcome barriers in benefitingContinue reading “Plan International (2013) Inclusion in Child Friendly Spaces: A Study on Barriers and Good Practices”
Global Education Cluster (2011) Guidelines for Child Friendly Spaces in Emergencies
These guidelines outline a clear and comprehensive way to establish a child-friendly space in different emergency contexts (natural disaster and war situations). They consist of principles for establishing a child-friendly space and implementation in practice, starting with assessment and selection of site and staff. The guidelines also include ideas for ongoing training and follow-up supportContinue reading “Global Education Cluster (2011) Guidelines for Child Friendly Spaces in Emergencies”
UNICEF et al. (2017) Philippine National Implementation Guidelines for Child Friendly Spaces in Emergencies
These guidelines cover the development and implementation of child-friendly spaces in emergencies in the Philippines. They link with existing guidelines on Camp Management and Women-Friendly Spaces and are informed by the global Guidelines for Child-Friendly Spaces and the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action. Back to Resources
UNICEF (2020) A Practical Guide for Developing Child-Friendly Spaces
This training package is designed to assist UNICEF staff and partners in establishing and operating Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) in an emergency. It covers all aspects of developing and operating a CFS and presents design approaches that may be adapted in various emergency contexts. The overall aim is to improve the standards and capacity of fieldContinue reading “UNICEF (2020) A Practical Guide for Developing Child-Friendly Spaces”
Child-Friendly Spaces 