Implementation of regulations on care of children in Vietnam

Implementation of regulations on care of children in Vietnam (Image from the internet)

On September 23, 2024, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 4452/BLDTBXH-CTE regarding the implementation of regulations on the care of children in Vietnam.

Implementation of regulations on care of children in Vietnam

According to the provisions of the Law on Children 2016: "The State encourages agencies, organizations, families, and individuals to participate in the support and care of children, especially children in special circumstances; providing land, tax, and credit support for organizations and individuals supplying care and nurturing services for children as prescribed by law."

Additionally, the law also "strictly prohibits exploiting the acceptance of replacement care for children to abuse them; exploiting the policies of the State and the support and assistance for children from organizations and individuals for profiteering purposes."

To ensure children's rights and effectively implement the Law on Children 2016 and related regulations on child protection, and the prevention of violence, abuse, and child exploitation, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs requests that the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities direct local functional agencies and the People's Committees at all levels to implement the following:

- Organize inspections, reviews, and checks of all public and private social assistance facilities involved in child care and nurturing within their jurisdiction to ensure compliance with the Law on Children 2016 and related regulations on the processes of accepting, caring for, and implementing various forms of alternative care for the best interests of each child; standards and conditions of operation; and management of social mobilization resources at these facilities. Promptly and sternly handle facilities operating without registration, spontaneously, without being licensed, or not ensuring the conditions for child care and nurturing as prescribed by law.

- Based on the actual situation in their locality, ensure that social assistance facilities use technology and technical equipment to monitor and supervise the care of children continuously (24/24 hours) at these facilities; share and update data on child care and protection with the competent authorities in charge of monitoring and protecting children's rights at these facilities.

- Effectively implement Decree 110/2024/ND-CP dated August 30, 2024, of the Government of Vietnam on social work, to build a network of professional social workers to enhance prevention, care, and protection of children at social assistance facilities and in the community.

- Strengthen communication efforts, raise the responsibility of the people, authorities, and sectors in detecting, reporting, and handling violations of children's rights.

- Direct the development and presentation to the People's Council for issuance under its authority of policies ensuring personnel for child care and protection; urge the People's Committees at the commune level to arrange persons to undertake child protection work, either among commune-level officials or part-time workers, ensuring their working time and capacity to implement the regulations on child protection contained in the Law on Children 2016 and Decree 56/2017/ND-CP dated May 9, 2017, of the Government of Vietnam, which particularly details a number of provisions in the Law on Children 2016.

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