Overview
In no more than 5,000 words, analyse either i) the response to a specific child protection concern OR ii) an arrangement for the protection of children from maltreatment (i.e. an aspect of the child protection system), in one country, legal jurisdictions or region, using a relevant framework to frame your analysis. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the response and suggest proposals for reform.
Examples
- analyse prevention of child marriage in Ethiopia using the INSPIRE strategies to frame analysis; analyse protection of unaccompanied or separate minors in Italy using 2021 UNHCR Best Interests Procedure Guidelines to frame analysis; analyse response to child trafficking in the Philippines using the Palermo Protocol to frame analysis;
- analyse the arrangements in place to protect Syrian refugee children in Lebanon using the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action to frame analysis; analyse alternative care in the UK using the Children Act 1989 to frame analysis; analyse intercountry adoption into the US using the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption to frame analysis.
Assignment guidance
- Your introduction should clearly explain your focus, and the rationale for the country you have chosen and the framework you have chosen to frame your analysis (i.e. relevant national/international law/policy/guidelines or best practice principles or theoretical model).
- Within your essay you are expected to outline the relevant child protection needs in the country of your choice, including any structural, social and cultural factors implicated in any form of maltreatment or harmful practice/practices that you are considering which are important for understanding the protection response
- You are expected to outline the child protection response that you are focusing on (i.e. an aspect of the child protection system or the response to a specific child protection concern)
- You are then expected to analyse this response using the framework of analysis you have chosen (i.e. relevant national/international law/policy/guidelines or best practice principles or theoretical model).
- The protection response and the framework for analysis need to be connected but different, as you are using the framework to support your analysis of the protection response.
- Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the response and suggest proposals for reform. It is expected that you will draw on a range of literature to analyse the child protection response as well as the chosen framework for analysis.