I am a consultant solicitor specialising in care proceedings and children work. Prior to joining BH&O in 2020 I spent time working overseas supporting governments and judiciaries implement child protection systems. I discovered most countries have good child protection laws, but the laws are poorly implemented or not implemented at all. The sad reality being that children who are not able to live with their birth families are often left in large institutions until they age out. Institutions are known to lead to poor outcomes for children: children thrive best within safe, loving families.
In September 2024 I was approached by a delegation from South Korea for advice about how to improve their child protection systems. The delegation consisted of government representatives, social workers, policy reformers and leading NGO’s. Their aim was to learn how to move their country from large institutions towards alternative family-based care for children who cannot safely be reunited with their birth parents. They also wanted to learn how to assist children as they transition from institution life into adulthood and independent living. I was able to share learning from the UK and other countries I have worked in, and to provide practical guidance for the first steps towards change. It is a difficult assignment to transform a country’s child protection system but the delegation’s commitment to this task was inspiring.
I have also recently returned from a visit to the USA to meet with colleagues from around the world to finalise an international framework to help countries develop family-first child protection systems based on international law. We are excited by the potential of the framework and I have the privilege of leading its pilot use in Ghana during the next few months.
Ruth Sharon, consultant solicitor
