By: Precious Miracle Kargbo (Snr)
A high-level delegation from SOS Children’s Villages International met with officials from the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MOGCA) to discuss strategic reforms in child protection and strengthen collaborative efforts across Sierra Leone.
The meeting aimed to align initiatives with the Ministry’s 2025–2030 developmental agenda and the ongoing rollout of the Alternative Care Policy 2025, reinforcing the commitment to safeguarding the country’s most vulnerable children.
Key topics included the expansion of protective services in underserved districts, improvements in case management for at-risk youth, and the scaling up of community-based safeguarding mechanisms. The SOS delegation shared lessons from country programs emphasizing family-centered care, deinstitutionalization where appropriate, and sustainable support networks for vulnerable children. In response, MOGCA officials outlined a coordinated state-led approach prioritizing prevention, early intervention, and timely responses to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
A central focus was aligning SOS’s transitional support with the Alternative Care Policy 2025, which provides a framework for moving children from institutional care to family-like settings while ensuring continued protection and education. The discussions also explored joint capacity-building activities, including training for frontline social workers, police, health workers, and educators to improve detection, reporting, and protection workflows.
Both parties highlighted the importance of data-driven strategies and agreed to establish shared monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress, outcomes for children, and service delivery gaps. The collaboration aims to mobilize resources, leverage international expertise, and strengthen national ownership of child protection reforms.
MOGCA officials emphasized that sustainable change requires effective policy implementation at the district level, dedicated funding, and strong political will. The meeting concluded with a commitment to formalize a joint workplan, establish concrete timelines, and pursue multi-stakeholder engagement to ensure all children in Sierra Leone benefit from safer, stronger protections and brighter future prospects.