International Reference Centre

for the Rights of Children Deprived of their Family

About the ISS /  IRC

The  International Social Service created an international programm – the ISS/IRC –  in order to promote better respect of the highest interest and the rights of children deprived of their family or at risk of being deprived of their families, and of children needing adoption or adopted already. Therefore, the IRC commits itself to a global policy on childhood and the family, as well as the ratification and implementation of international conventions relating to the rights of these children. In this spirit, it promotes the exchange of experiences and a worldwide collaboration between professionals of governmental and non-governmental organisations.

International and regional legal instruments

This section gives the links to international and regional legal instruments related to the rights of children deprived of their family. You may also consult the list of the States parties to these instruments, as well as the Central and Competent Authorities. Finally, you can consult some general comments related to these instruments.

Documents of special  interest

Are you concerned about respect for, and application of the rights of children who are at risk of  abandonment, abandoned, orphaned, cared for in institutions, fostered,  adopted in their own country or abroad, likely to be adopted instead of reintegrated and cared for in their biological family? In this chapter, you will find documents in various languages which, in our view, may help you to reflect on alternatives and practices.

Library data bank

The data bank offers access to material compiled and selected by the ISS/IRC Documentation Centre. You have access to a brief description in English of each document. The  documents themselves come from all over the world and are mostly in English,  French and Spanish. The data bank can be consulted by author, country or  theme. 

Useful Internet addresses  and sites

We have selected for you addresses of resource organisms or internet sites particularly useful regarding the issue of children deprived of their family.

Services limited to the network of beneficiaries

Access to this chapter is reserved to the ISS/IRC network and to its direct beneficiaries. You will find there the ISS/IRC monthly reviews, several country situations and index of legislations.