Looking back on the course

One of the main themes of the course has been the importance of offering the best possible, protection, care and support to all children at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we have thought about different ways to adapt child protection case management during this time.

We began the course by understanding the different protection risks children might face, and how these may have been added to, and heightened, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We then considered the importance of child protection case management and the role of child protection caseworkers. Most importantly we have examined some ways case management is being adapted to address the challenges being posed during the pandemic.

We recognised how child protection case workers work with colleagues from other services, and with community-based child protection groups. We thought about different roles and responsibilities during this time, and how everyone should have the necessary skills and training to carry them out.

This included ways to identify and refer children for whom there may be a protection concern. We also thought about the careful assessment of each child’s individual circumstances and overcoming obstacles when no longer able to reach children in the usual way. Finally, we asked you to think about your own well-being and safety.

We have been fortunate to hear about real examples of how child protection case management is being adapted and implemented during COVID-19 in different parts of the world. And we hope the additional reading materials we provided have been helpful to you.

We do understand the challenges you may be facing in reaching and supporting children for whom there are child protection risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that the guidance we have offered will be of some assistance.

Finally, thank you so much for all your comments and the contributions you have made to the course. The opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and knowledge enriches the course and helps us all learn ways in which we might better protect and support children at this time.

Future Courses

If you found this course useful and interesting, you might like to tell your colleagues that we will be running the course again later in the year.

You also might want to join us later in the year when we will be running two other courses about the protection and alternative care of children. For more details about these MOOCs, and to register your interest, you can access the courses below:

1. Getting Care Right for All Children: Implementing the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children
2. Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children

How did the course work for you?

The course team is especially keen to hear about your overall experience on the course, what you found helpful, and interesting. We would also like to know if there is anything that we have discussed during the course that will now make you think about the work you do and whether it could be done in a different way?

Please share your thoughts and ideas about how you could practically apply what you are beginning to learn in the discussion below.

Finally, we have really enjoyed delivering the course and we wish you all the very best in your work with children. We also hope that you, your family, friends, and colleagues all stay safe and well.