Child protection in China: Changing policies and reactions from the field of social work

Abstract

This article offers a general review of the development of national policies on child protection in China. It offers an in‐depth analysis of related legislation enacted between 2010 and 2015 that have had an impact on child protection and related historical, cultural and legal issues. Furthermore, in the study we examined the emerging role of social work in preventing and responding to child abuse and neglect in China. Major findings of the research include: (i) policies concerning child protection have been highly influenced by Confucianism and its perspective of the child as family property; (ii) child protection regulations on accident reporting, custody transfer, and surrogate care are gradually being refined and improved, although the legal system for child protection is still incomplete and needs further substantiation; and (iii) the involvement of non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) and social workers has enhanced the child protection system. Key Practitioner Message: • Policies concerning child protection have been subject to an immense impact by Confucianism, placing strong responsibility on family members in providing childcare although the child is viewed as part of the family's property; • After 1949, the newly founded socialist political structure began to exert a significant influence on welfare and child welfare policies. Because the Confucian perspective emphasised family and parental responsibility, government in China has traditionally not been heavily involved in policies that interfere in the internal workings of families; • Since the shift toward an open‐door policy in 1979, child protection policies in China have begun to develop, with a child welfare network gradually spreading to cover the majority of children. Moreover, child protection is generally supported by the legal system, within which regulations on accident reporting, custody transfer and surrogate care are gradually being refined and improved. However, despite the huge progress achieved in recent years, there are significant deficits in its implementation and monitoring; • The involvement of non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) and professional social work services has promoted a child protection system.

Responding to child maltreatment: Comparison between the USA and China

“…We identified relevant published and unpublished literature, including articles, chapters, books, policy documents, and laws, through the search strategies detailed above. We analyzed this literature through a country‐specific lens, as articulated by Zhao, Hämäläinen, and Chen (). Specifically, we focused on policy development in the USA and China, in the area of child welfare.…”

Ethnic Disparities and the Psychological Trauma of Maltreated Children: Evidence from Three Multi-ethnic Counties in China

“…Despite its rapid development, China is still deeply influenced by Confucianism and patriarchal culture, under which the child is the personal property of the parent rather than an independent individual, and child obedience to parents is regarded as important to the maintenance of family order (Peng et al, 2015). Chinese people generally regard physical punishment as a necessary parenting technique (Zhao et al, 2017). A multi-country comparison found that Chinese people have the highest threshold for labeling behaviors as maltreatment (Mesman et al, 2020).…”

Childhood Maltreatment: Experiences and Perceptions Among Chinese Young People

“…The idea of reporting child abuse advocated by the new Act is still contrary to culturally-justified tolerance toward corporal punishment and the belief that child discipline is a family matter, which is illustrated in our study. It is likely to be a long time before such a reporting mechanism is widely accepted (Zhao, Hamalainen, & Chen, 2017).…”