- ps@childrenservices.go.ke
- +254 (020)2729800
- Toll Free: 116
Services
Child Protection Services Portal
Comprehensive support for prevention, rescue, care, rehabilitation, social protection, and counter-trafficking for children in Kenya
Prevention and Response to Violence Against Children (VAC)
This service seeks to keep children safe from violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, harmful practices, and other unsafe situations. It supports children who have been harmed or are at risk of harm.
Target Group: Any child who is unsafe, has been harmed, or is at risk. Support may be sought by the child, parents, teachers, neighbors, or community members.
No child shall be denied emergency protection due to lack of documents.
No child shall be denied emergency protection due to lack of documents.
Types of Violence Covered
- Physical Violence: Hitting, beating, corporal punishment, torture.
- Sexual Violence: Defilement, rape, incest, exploitation, harassment.
- Neglect & Abandonment: Lack of food, shelter, health care, or supervision.
- Emotional/Psychological: Threats, humiliation, isolation, exposure to domestic violence.
- Missing/Abducted Children: Tracing, recovery, and reunification.
- Online Protection: Cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, online trafficking.
- Trafficking & Exploitation: Forced labor, sexual exploitation, child soldiering.
- Child Labour: Harmful work affecting health, safety, or education.
- Harmful Practices: FGM, child marriage, forced circumcision.
- Street-Connected Children: Outreach, protection, and reintegration.
- Institutional Violence: Abuse in foster care, rescue centers, schools, or detention facilities.
- Emergency Situations: Protection during droughts, floods, conflict, or displacement.
Response Process
- Report received and assessed.
- Urgent protection action taken if immediate danger exists.
- Referral to medical, legal, or psychosocial services.
- Case management initiated (family tracing, counseling, shelter).
- Follow-up until the child is safe and the case is closed.
Child Rescue & Placement to Places of Safety
Immediate Action: Triggered when a child is in imminent danger of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
Key Objectives
- Ensure improved safety and protection of children at risk.
- Provide immediate rescue and removal from harmful environments.
- Access to immediate care, shelter, and essential services.
- Facilitate family tracing, reunification, and reintegration.
Process
- Identification of immediate risk.
- Removal of child to a Place of Safety.
- Initial assessment and provision of basic needs.
- Case management for long-term solution.
Child Protection Mediation Services
Note: Where a child is at risk of violence, abuse, or neglect, child protection action takes priority over mediation.
When Mediation May Be Used
- Parental Responsibility disagreements.
- Child Maintenance and Support.
- Custody, Care, and Living Arrangements.
- Access and Contact Arrangements.
- Guardianship and Caregiver Disagreements.
How to Access: Via Children’s Offices, Courts, Schools, Health Facilities, or National Child Helpline 116.
Assessments, Home Visits & Case Planning
Safety & Protection
Risk of violence, abuse, neglect, or harmful practices.
Care & Supervision
Presence of responsible guidance and emotional support.
Living Conditions
Safety, sanitation, sleeping arrangements, stability.
Education & Health
School attendance, enrollment, medical access, nutrition.
🏥 Rehabilitation Services
Transforming Lives through Education, Rehabilitation and Reintegration
The State Department operates Rehabilitation Schools for children in conflict with the law (ages 12-16 years) committed by the Children's Court.
Rehabilitation Pillars
📚 Education
Formal education, literacy/numeracy, national examinations.
🔧 Vocational Training
Mechanics, Carpentry, Masonry, Tailoring, Solar, Electrical, Financial Literacy, Digital Skills.
💬 Counselling
Individual/group therapy, behavioural modification, family counselling.
⚽ Sports & Arts
Football, athletics, music, drama, dance for talent development.
Expected Outcomes
- Improved positive behavior and responsible decision-making.
- Acquisition of vocational and life skills for self-reliance.
- Successful reintegration into families and communities.
- Reduced recidivism and reoffending.
Together, we are transforming lives, strengthening families and building a brighter future for every child.
Child Protection Aftercare Services
- Children returning to family/community care after rescue or institutional care.
- Children leaving rehabilitation centers.
- Children formerly living on the street.
- Children in contact with the law undergoing reintegration.
Key Support Areas
- Safety Follow-Up: Monitoring for new risks.
- Family Support: Parenting guidance and counseling.
- Education & Health: Linkage to schools and medical services.
- Economic Support: Linkages to social protection.
Alternative Care Services
Adoption Services
Permanent legal placement (25-65 years). Process: Home Study → Matching → 3 Month Bonding → Court Order.
Foster Care Services
Temporary family-based care (max 12 months, renewable up to 3 years).
Supported Independent Living (SIL)
For youth 16-22 years transitioning from institutional care.
Guardianship & Kafaalah
Legal guardianship or Islamic alternative care.
Foreign Travel Clearance for Unaccompanied Children
Purpose: To prevent child trafficking, abduction, and exploitation during cross-border movement.
Requirements
- Written parental/guardian consent.
- Clear travel arrangements.
- Vetted accompanying adult.
- Best interests demonstration.
Social Protection: Cash Transfers (CT-OVC)
Eligibility: Extremely poor households with OVC, assessed via Enhanced Single Registry.
Programme Components
- NICHE Programme: KES 2,000 top-up + nutrition messaging.
- Adolescent Cash Plus (AdoP): Supports adolescents with vulnerabilities.
- Presidential Secondary School Bursary (PSSB): Financial support for secondary education.
⚠️ Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTiP) Service
Prevents, suppresses and combats trafficking, protects victims, and coordinates national anti-trafficking efforts under the Counter Trafficking in Persons Act, 2010.
Eligibility: Identified victim referred through appropriate mechanisms requiring rescue, return, rehabilitation, or reintegration support.
Service Components
Prevention Services
Public awareness, community initiatives, policy coordination, pre-departure orientation.
Protection & Assistance
Rescue, return, resettlement, shelter, psychosocial support, medical aid, legal aid.
Coordination & Oversight
Multi-agency coordination, data collection, bilateral cooperation.
Note: Lack of documentation should not deny emergency protection and assistance to victims.
Expected Outcomes
- Reduced incidence of trafficking.
- Improved protection and assistance for victims.
- Enhanced prosecution of offenders.
- Successful rehabilitation and reintegration of victims.