Guidance

Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform: guidance for requesting technical assistance

Published 24 October 2025

Responded to by care reform advisors coordinated by Maestral International with the support of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). 

Background

The Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform seeks to galvanise action to reform and improve the care of children with a particular focus on:

(i) providing support to strengthen families and prevent unnecessary separation

(ii) ensuring safe and nurturing family-based alternative care

(iii) ending the use of institutions as alternative care settings

The Charter aims to inspire global partnership and commitment through governments and non-governmental organisations signing or endorsing the Charter and committing to specific actions to address these issues in their country.

• see guidance for developing commitments for more information about how to develop and submit commitments

To support governments to develop and/or implement their commitments, Maestral International, with the support of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is coordinating the provision of technical assistance.

• governments can request Technical Assistance through this online form

There are 2 types of technical assistance (TA) available:

1. Technical assistance to develop commitments

Government signatories may request technical assistance from care reform advisors to support the development of robust and ambitious commitments. For example, support could include:   

• conducting or facilitating assessments of care systems, including support to use the Global Campaign Care System Assessment tool ^{[footnote 1]}
• facilitating participatory processes and consultations
• guidance on evidence and best practice
• providing a technical review of commitments ahead of submission

1.1. Review of commitments 

A technical review of your commitment ahead of submission will allow care reform advisors to review and provide feedback on your commitment. A strong commitment, in turn, sets the foundation for effective TA to implement your commitment, if requested at a later stage. The advisors will review if commitments are:

• aligned: to the specific calls for action and requirements outlined in the Global Charter.
• aligned with global good practices – consider the decades of progress in care reform around the world and build on lessons learned and promising practices available globally, or within specific regions and/or countries
• quantifiable: provide measurable targets, such as the number of people who will benefit, timeline for implementation, and/or committed funding to achieve the commitment
• measurable: have specific metrics to establish baselines, track progress and evaluate success of the commitment
• are resourced: grounded in what is feasible, by outlining financial, human and material resources for implementation

Please see guidance for developing commitments for additional information, including detailed guidance on designing your commitments and examples of commitments along the Charter calls for action.

1.2. Provision of global resources and planning guidance

The care reform advisors can also provide global and regional resources that may be of help when drafting your commitments. We can refer you to specific relevant documents, guidelines or tools, and customise these for each commitment.

To ensure your commitment is accompanied by a feasible plan for implementation, the advisors can consult with you to better understand your needs, timelines, financial limitations, and other relevant information, and develop a contextualised implementation plan.

2. Technical assistance to implement commitments

Technical assistance can also be requested after commitments have been made. The purpose of this support is to provide mentoring and expert guidance from global, regional, and national care reform specialists to help advance the implementation of your commitments. Technical assistance is not intended to outsource the delivery of commitments. Instead, the assistance can provide direction, tools, and resources to guide and build capacity in your efforts to deliver high-quality implementation. Each technical assistance request must be clearly linked to a specific commitment. For example:

Example commitment	Example technical assistance request
By 2026, [organisation] will train 100% of its frontline staff using a standardised, competency-based pre-service training programme that aligns with the national parenting guidelines.	A review of existing pre-service training programmes and national parenting guidelines, discussions with key stakeholders, and a report with recommendations on the standardisation process based on the review.
By 2026, the government of [country] will work with its partner [organisation] to conduct a national situational analysis that examines the root causes of family separation across the country, and regional and district variances.	The review of already-developed methodology for conducting a national situational analysis, co-hosting a series of webinars with relevant actors to facilitate the contextualisation existing tools to [country] and support for meaning-making sessions of findings.
By 2028 the government of [country] commits to developing a national strategy to recruit, support and ensure quality foster carers, towards a goal of increasing approved foster carers by 25%.	A best practice brief with case studies from other countries in the region, used to inform a series of consultations with foster care actors, leading to contextualised recommendations for the development of a national strategy and detailed action plan.
By 2027, the government of [country] commits to gathering comprehensive routine data from all eighteen regions on the percentage of alternative placements that are made on a case-by-case basis and informed by individual assessments of each child.	A sample data collection tool based on international best practice and review of existing case management process, support during data collection and decision-making process.
The government of [country] commits to ensuring child participation principles are part of the alternative care decision-making process in a new caregiving bill which will become legislation by the end of 2025.	The provision of child participation guidelines, tools, and support with facilitation of the participation process. Followed by the design of relevant standard operating procedures ensuring ongoing child participation in the alternative care placement process.
By 2025, [organisation] will support the government of [country] to train all staff of all institutions on the transformation process, including about processes and plans to re-train and re-deploy staff as part of the transformation process.	The co-development of a detailed action plan and training package on transformation, based on international best practice, contextualised to the specific country context.

If you are unsure what type of technical assistance would be best for your commitment, you can request a consultation to discuss potential approaches and recommended formats to support your specific commitment.

Types of expertise available

The advisors will provide expertise along the following categories, in line with the Global Charter:

• supporting families to prevent unnecessary separation
• ensuring safe and nurturing family-based alternative care
• progressively ending the institutionalisation of all children
• calling out and tackling harmful and unacceptable practices
• strengthening legal and policy frameworks
• investing in data and evidence
• investing in the social service workforce for children and families
• strengthening and investing in family support programmes and services
• increasing investment and financial resources to support a family for every child and independent living for care-leavers
• coordination
• gatekeeping
• case management
• participation of people with lived experience of alternative care
• children with disabilities

How the technical assistance process works

See here each step of the technical assistance process:

1. Actor requests technical assistance: Request is submitted through an online form. An automated response confirms that the submission has been received.

2. Request is reviewed against criteria: A thorough review process is conducted to review and prioritise all requests against previously agreed criteria (see below). After a cut-off date every two weeks, requests are prioritised.

3. Request is clarified and/or accepted: After the prioritisation has been completed, the actor receives a request for additional clarification or a notification of acceptance.

4. Request is matched to advisory team: Upon approval, the request is matched to a team of care reform advisors composed of global, regional and/or national advisors, who will agree with the actor on a TA workplan.

5. Actor receives technical assistance: The team of care reform advisors delivers the technical assistance by the agreed submission date and along the TA workplan.

6. Actor reviews and may request clarification or additional information: In a period of up to two weeks after the TA has been completed, actors may request additional information or clarification from the advisory team.

7. Advisor team provides clarifications or additional information: If requested, the team provides clarifications or additional information. If beyond a reasonable scope, it may need to be submitted as a new request.

8. Actor evaluates provision of technical assistance: After the provision of TA has been completed, the actor provides feedback through an online form. The advisory team analyses the feedback received for improving the quality of future requests.

Prioritisation criteria for technical assistance requests

Your request for technical assistance will be reviewed against the criteria below. If we receive a large number of requests, these criteria will be used to prioritise which requests to deliver.

1. Completeness: All fields in the technical assistance (TA) request form have been filled, and the request has been clearly articulated. If there are gaps that cannot be resolved during the clarification period, requests are less likely to be prioritised.
2. Alignment: The TA request is aligned with the specific calls for action and requirements outlined in the Global Charter, and any commitments made at the national level. Any request that is not aligned with the Charter or commitments made cannot be prioritised.
3. Feasibility: The TA request is reasonable in terms of scope and volume. (Refer to the examples above for requests with a reasonable scope and volume). The TA can be delivered effectively within the proposed period. The level of effort needed for each request, as well as the urgency of the request, will also be considered during prioritisation.
4. Sustainability: The TA request demonstrates a clear pathway for achieving sustainable change. It includes considerations of local capacity, financial feasibility, institutional ownership, and integration into existing systems and policies. The request should include the consideration of use/implementation beyond the completion of the TA.
5. Regional balance: A balance of TA requests from different countries and regions will be considered during the prioritisation process.

Step-by-step guide: how to fill in the TA request form

Filling in the TA request form correctly is key to a smooth TA process. Please follow the instructions in this guide and reach out in case of additional clarifications or questions.

Step	Description
Submission date	Enter the date on which you are submitting the form.
Country or territory	Please indicate which country your TA request is for.
Requesting agency	Insert the government agency you are requesting on behalf of.
First and last name of focal point	Add the first and last name of your focal point, who will be the main point of contact for your request. While there may be additional team members involved in the request, for ease of communication, it is required to nominate one specific focal point who will be responsible for communication with the advisors.
Position of focal point	Add the position and/or role of your focal point.
Email address of focal point	Enter the email address of the focal point who is the main contact person.
Has your government signed the Charter? (Yes; No; Don’t know)	Indicate whether your government has signed the Charter. If you are unsure, select “don’t know.”
Has your government submitted commitments to the Charter? (Yes; No; Don’t know)	If you answered yes to the previous question, indicate whether your government has submitted any commitments to the Charter.
Is this request for technical assistance related to developing a Charter commitment? (Yes; No; Don’t know)	If you answered no to the previous question, please indicate whether this TA request is related to developing a Charter commitments.
Is this request for technical assistance related to implementing your Charter commitment? (Yes; No; Don’t know)	If your government has made a commitment, please indicate whether this TA request is related to implementing your Charter commitment.
If your request is not for developing or implementing a Charter commitment, please explain the purpose of your request	If you indicated that your request is neither for developing nor implementing a commitment, please explain the purpose of your request. Please note that we may not be able to prioritise your request if it is not related to developing or implementing a Charter commitment.
Please add a description of your request. You can add the description in any language	Describe your request with as much detail as possible. You are welcome to add this description in any language. Note that we will be able to review requests in English, Spanish and French directly, descriptions in other languages will be translated for the advisors’ review. As you describe your request, please consider: - what is the main objective of your request? - how is the request aligned with the Global Charter? - who is the main audience? - what is the implementation pathway after completion of the TA? - what is your ideal output or format? - which organisations involved in care reform in your context should the advisors coordinate with (name maximum 3)? - is there any helpful background information the advisors should know about? - are there any clarifications or questions you’d like to discuss with the advisors? - if you indicate a specific timeframe for your request, please explain the reasoning behind it You will also be able to attach documents to support your description.
Do you know the preferred format(s) for your TA request?	Select one or more format(s) for your request, if you have something specific in mind. If you are not yet sure about the most appropriate format, select “Not yet decided.” The final format for your request will be discussed and agreed upon with the advisors. Please see below for additional information on each format.
In which language would you prefer to receive the TA?	Choose whether you would like to receive the TA in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, or Other. If you select “Other”, please and indicate your preferred language in the description of the request. Note that we will be able to provide TA in English, Spanish and French directly, TA in other languages will likely need to be translated to your preferred language.
When would you like the TA start (optional)? Please justify the timeframe in the description of your request	If you have a specific timeframe in mind for your request, please indicate the date on which you would like the TA to start. Please also explain the reason for the requested timeframe in the description of your request.
When would you like the TA to be finalised? (optional) Please note that the final submission date will be agreed with the advisory team	You can also indicate a date by which you would prefer the TA to be completed. Please explain the reasoning behind this date in the description of the request. Please note that this does not guarantee the TA will be provided by this date. It will, however, be taken into consideration when requests are reviewed. A final submission date will be agreed upon once your request has been clarified, accepted and the advisors has drafted a workplan.
Please attach any relevant supporting documents for your request	Attach any supporting documents that you consider relevant to your request. Please be judicious in your selection to ensure the review process can remain efficient.
Submit	Don’t forget to click submit!

If you are experiencing any issues with the form, please contact CareReform@maestral.org.

Choosing the correct “format category”

You may have a specific format in mind for your request. If this is the case, please choose one of the options available in the drop-down menu, explained below. You can also choose “other” or “not yet decided.” The final format for your TA request will be decided jointly with the advisors during the clarification process.

Format	Description
Online briefing / webinar	A 1-2 hour online session for the advisors to present on a specific topic, provide technical input, hold a Q&A, or interactive working session.
Online training / workshop	Above 2 hours structured online session(s) to train participants on a specific topic or conduct an interactive workshop with a specific purpose.
In-person meeting	A 1 to 2 hour in-person meeting, for example for a consultation or strategy session.
In-person training	An in-person training skill-building session, from 2 hours to 1 day, on a specific topic or range of topics.
Site visit	An in-person observational visit including assessment or feedback.
Short brief	A short, written brief of up to 5 to 10 pages, for example a concise overview of a topic, guidance, or recommendations.
Technical report / guidance note	A detailed document of 10 to 30+ pages, covering analysis, case studies, best practices and/or recommendations on a specific topic.
Tools or templates	Specific tools or templates, for example survey design, evaluation tools, consultation templates.
Presentation deck	PPT slides with facilitator notes on a specific topic and for delivery to a defined audience.
Methodology	Assessment methodology development (needs assessment, workforce assessment, etc.)​
Commitment review	A draft commitment to the Charter for which you are requesting review and guidance.
Peer-to-peer learning	Select if you are interested to be paired with another country to share or receive learnings related to care reform. Note this will be contingent upon the identification of a suitable peer.
Participatory process	Child participation guidelines, tools, and/or support with facilitation of the participation process.
Other, see description of request	If your preferred format is not part of the drop-down menu, select “Other, see description of request” and please include your preferred format in the description of your request.
Not yet decided	If you are not yet sure about the best-suited format for your request, you can select “Not yet decided”, and this can be discussed during the clarification process.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What if I have a time-sensitive or urgent request?

You can indicate the timeframe for your request in the TA request form. Please explain the reasoning behind your requested dates in the description of the request. Please note that this does not guarantee the TA will start by this date. The date will, however, be taken into consideration when requests are reviewed. A final submission date will be agreed upon with the advisors.

What if I have multiple requests?

If your requests are part of the same commitment, please submit them as one. If your requests are separate commitments and unrelated, please submit them separately.

What if I cannot select the language in which I would like to request the technical assistance?

If you are looking for technical assistance in a language outside the available options (English, Spanish, French, Arabic), please select “Other” and indicate your preferred language. We cannot guarantee that assistance will be provided directly by a native speaker in your requested language, but we will explore the possibility of this and if it is not feasible, we will undertake all efforts to translate materials to your preferred language.

Can my request be denied?

If your request does not meet the described criteria for prioritisation, and depending on the volume of incoming requests, your request can be denied. You will be informed if this is the case, and you will have the opportunity to resubmit your request to be considered in a next round of submissions.

By when will I receive the TA?

The final submission date will be set and agreed upon during the clarification period and during the development of a TA workplan. This depends on the volume and scope of your request, as well as the availability of advisors to work on the request.

What if I would like to change my request?

Your request will be clarified and refined with the advisors in the clarification phase. This may lead to some changes to your request (for example related to the final format or output), which you do not need to resubmit. If you would like to change your request before the request will be reviewed, please reach out to vschroepel@maestral.org

Checklist

This short checklist can be used by actors requesting technical assistance to ensure the request aligns with this guidance.

✅	Requirement
	One focal point for the TA request has been assigned.
	The request is aligned with the Charter.
	Your request is for developing a commitment or implementing a commitment.
	If the latter, your request is clearly aligned with one or more of your government’s commitments.
	The request is clear, and the TA form completed fully. Any clarifications or questions are articulated in the description of the request.
	All information related to the request has been shared in the TA form, including attachments.
	The request includes the consideration of use/implementation beyond the completion of the TA.
	The request is feasible in terms of scope, volume, and preferred submission date.

How to translate the TA request form in your browser

Google Chrome (desktop and mobile)

1. Open the webpage you want to translate.
2. Right-click (or long-press on mobile) and select Translate to [Your Language].
3. If no option appears, click the Google Translate icon in the address bar.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open the page.
2. A Translate prompt may appear automatically; choose your language.
3. If not, click the Translate icon in the address bar.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Firefox does not have built-in translation in all versions.
2. Install the Firefox Translations add-on from Mozilla’s add-ons store.
3. After installing, select your preferred language to translate pages.

Safari (Mac and iPhone/iPad)

1. Open the page.
2. Tap or click the aA icon in the address bar.
3. Select Translate to [Your Language].

1. The Global Campaign Care System Assessment tool is a diagnostic framework designed to help governments, civil society, and partners evaluate the maturity of national care systems. It identifies strengths and gaps across key components - including policy, governance, services, oversight, resources, participation, data, and social norms - using a staged maturity scale (from system building to system maturity) to guide planning, prioritisation, and investment in care reform. ↩