Researching the linkages between social protection and children's care in Rwanda

This research investigates the links between the Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), child well-being, children’s care and family reunification. It is part of a wider study on the linkages between social protection and children’s care in Rwanda, Ghana and South Africa. The research is a joint initiative by Family for Every Child and the Centre for Social Protection (CSP) at the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) in the UK. Uyisenga Ni Imanzi, a Rwandan NGO and member of Family for Every Child, led the research in Rwanda.

This qualitative study addresses three overarching questions.

1) What are the linkages between social protection and the quality of children’s care?

2) What is the link between social protection and the loss of parental care or family separation?

3) How does social protection influence decisions about foster or kinship care?

Findings suggest that social protection has many positive impacts on child wellbeing and the quality of care. Challenges pertain to the balance between public works requirements and care responsibilities, inequal treatment of biological and non-biological children and the misuse of funds. The use of cash transfers as incentives for foster or kinship care could provide positive support as well as lead to perverse incentives.