The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has welcomed the Cabinet’s recent approval of the Global Charter for Child Care Reforms, which it described as a landmark decision that strengthens protection for children and builds momentum for Sri Lanka’s existing Alternative Care Policy.

UNICEF said in a statement that over the years, the organization has partnered with the Government of Sri Lanka to advance care reform. 

This includes supporting the development of the National Alternative Care Policy, the national census of residential care institutions, and provincial action plans that have led to a 30 per cent reduction in the number of children in institutional care since 2018. 

More than 6,000 children have been prevented from entering institutions, and around 2,000 children have been reunified with their families in the past five years. These achievements demonstrate what is possible when leadership, evidence, and partnership come together, the statement said. 

UNICEF pointed out that, yet, more than 8,000 children in Sri Lanka still grow up in residential care, most with at least one living parent. 

Their placement often reflects poverty, violence, abuse, stigma, or gaps in community-based services. The Global Charter provides a valuable framework for addressing these issues. Its principles, preventing unnecessary family-child separation, prioritizing family-based care, and progressively moving away from institutionalization, align with the Alternative Care Policy ongoing reforms, it said.

The organization further states that while policies are essential, the real difference lies in financing and implementation, strengthening case management systems, expanding family support services, and ensuring that every child can grow up in a safe and supportive family environment. 

UNICEF stresses that it stands ready to continue supporting the Government, provincial authorities, and civil society partners to translate this commitment into lasting change for children.