With internal migration affecting four out of every 10 children in China, an innovative approach to child welfare is taking root in the country. The "barefoot social worker", a grassroots model to extend social services to vulnerable children, is extending to more areas in China.
With rapid demographic shifts taking place in China and many more people seeking work opportunities in urban areas, an estimated 25 percent of the child population, or almost 70 million children, are not living with both parents, the large majority of whom remain in rural areas.
For many of these children, who often remain behind with grandparents or with just one parent, there can be challenges in accessing adequate care and supervision, as well as health and education services.
Initiated in 2010 as a pilot project that covered 120 villages in five provinces and regions (Henan, Sichuan, Shanxi, Xinjiang and Yunnan) to address the needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS, the project has quickly expanded to reach all vulnerable and orphaned children in pilot areas who are in need.
The child welfare director, or "barefoot social worker", who lives within the community, serves as the frontline contact with the child and their families to help them identify needs and link them with corresponding social services.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
As part of its commitment to the Convention on the Rights of Child, China has committed to expanding this model, endorsing it as part of its Outline for the Development of Chinese Children (2011-2020) and building an inclusive child welfare system.
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the project is now being expanded to Kunshan, Jiangsu province; Haining, Zhejiang province; Luoning county in Shenzhen, Guangdong province; and 46 other cities.
"The Chinese government has many national policies that provide for a child's basic rights. Often, though, for very poor children or those living without parents, it can be difficult to know how to access these social services," said Wang Zhenyao, dean of Beijing Normal University's China Philanthropy Research Institute.
"By identifying someone in the community where these children live, who we equip with the right social work skills, we are able to make sure we reach every child with the mix of care as well as practical support to connect them to services and entitlements," Wang said.
"As some children also need a professional social worker's support, the government also has a responsibility to invest in professional child welfare services. Professional services could learn from the experiences of this pilot as a pioneer."
The project, which has had a measurable effect in providing children with access services and better care as more children are registered, is now being rolled out in other provinces.
Often, the "barefoot social worker" will help the child get a birth certificate or a residence identity that in turn can help them enroll in school, get vaccinated, and also access other social benefits. They also provide emotional and social support as well as identify protection issues that might contribute to a child's vulnerability.
"We recognize the importance of working with the community to strengthen the role played by government in providing adequate care, protection and support for our children," said Xu Jianzhong, deputy director-general of Department of Social Welfare and Charity Promotion in the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
"We are working with the provinces to see how best we can commit the needed resources to roll this out so as to reach more children," Xu said.
Dan Toole, UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, said: "Around the world, UNICEF is working with partners to demonstrate concrete ways to innovate, whether it be technological advances or new approaches in tackling poverty to help reach children in remote and isolated areas."
"The success of this social workers pilot program, which has now been expanded to reach more and more children, illustrates how we can tackle social inequality with a mix of dedication, community engagement as well as government commitment," Toole said.
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