CHILD PROTECTION

Save the Children is the lead organisation for child protection in South Sudan, widely recognised for building the capacity of over 30 international and national agencies in case management, supporting family tracing and reunification (FTR), and providing technical support for the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+).

We work to ensure that children are protected from all forms of abuse, violence, exploitation, and neglect and have a Zero Tolerance to Violence.

In 2025, we ensured children grew up feeling safe and protected in South Sudan:

• Through working with case workers across all field locations, Save the Children provided child protection and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) case management services to 945 children that is 450 Boys and 495 Girls in 2025.
• As the systems administrator of the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+), with a mandate to provide technical support to child protection partners across the country including family tracing and reunification (FTR), a total cumulative reach of 3,140 was achieved, with 533 children successfully reunified with their families.
• 276 case workers and Government social workers including those enrolled for the Social Work Certification program were provided with capacity building training on case management.
• 3417 children received an integrated MHPSS case management service benefiting from basic counselling services which supported distressed children enabling them to bounce back from traumatic experiences.
• Psychosocial support interventions benefitted 5,530 children in Renk, Akobo and Bor as they participated in arts-based structured and non-focused psychosocial support and activities provided through a stimulating and child friendly environment offered in Child-Friendly Spaces (CFSs). This ensured children’s immediate safety, positive wellbeing, and resilience.
• 579 community-based child protection networks were trained on child protection, SGBV, safeguarding, identification and referral of at risk and vulnerable children, community mobilization and awareness raising enabling the protection of children at community level and increased awareness of child protection risks by communities. 

• We are working with the government, civil society organizations, UN agencies, INGO and community-based structures to establish and strengthen national and local level child protection systems.
• We are working towards preventing children from experiencing violence by building on their protective factors and addressing risks
• We are working with families and communities to change attitudes and behaviors about violence against children
• We mobilize communities to be proactive in child-led and community-led actions and empower children to actively participate in activities that improve their situation and influence change.
• We provide responsive services that mitigate the impact of child protection violations, and support recovery and/or reintegration
• We address the needs of individual children at risk and/or with protection concerns through comprehensive case management inclusive of supporting alternative care arrangements.
• We are facilitating family tracing and reunification, offering mental health and psychosocial support services and access to other services through referrals.
• We ensure the interlinkage of prevention, mitigation and response to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence affecting children through strengthening the child protection system
• We enhance the capacity of social workers and case workers by enhancing their child protection skills and competencies through training
• We build community support and mechanisms for child protection by working with community-based structures
• We manage the national child protection information management system ensuring child protection data management, trend analysis and utility for strategic decision making
• We advocate for improved access to preventative, responsive child protection services and a strengthened system.