living in children’s homes”. The policy has been submitted to Cabinet for approval, but has not yet been adopted. 29.2 The Child Welfare Policy: Supporting Families and Communities to Protect Children, 2013 draft marks a significant shift in the national approach to the promotion and protection of children’s rights and well-being. It establishes a more comprehensive child protection and development system founded, in the first instance, on preventing child vulnerability through the provision of support to families and communities to promote the welfare and protection of children. The policy refocuses on and prioritizes the provision of prevention and early intervention support through local and indigenous child-development and protection resources alongside the provision of statutory remedial services, rehabilitative and reintegration services for children who need them. 29.3 The Adoption Bill, 2010 which provides for a more stringent regulatory framework to ensure that adoptions comply with international child rights instruments and obligations, and secures the participation and best interests of the child. 29.4 The Criminal Procedure Bill, 2013 requires that the trial and sentencing of children be respectful of children’s legislated rights and reaffirms that death sentences may not be passed on children. 30. In addition, the GoSL has taken a number of steps to better enable the different role players responsible for their implementation of the preceding policies and laws to fulfil their duties. This has been achieved through the development of a number of procedural guidelines and training manuals and the provision of training designed to secure the best interests of the child and optimal realization of the rights protected by the relevant laws. 31. Tools that have been developed to support implementation of the laws include: 12  31.1 The National Referral Protocol on Gender Based Violence: Pathways to Service Provision for Victims, 2012 was developed to ensure that the many different service providers responsible for supporting survivors provide prompt and coordinated services; to ensure that existing policies and agreed procedures are followed to ensure service provision to victims and the prosecution of offenders; ensure that standards of professional practices are prescribed and followed; and to raise awareness among all key stakeholders about GBV and associated services and support, rights and responsibilities. 31.2 Age assessment guidelines: Children in contact with the Justice System, 2010 were developed to facilitate the assessment of the age of children who come into contact with the law, including children in conflict with the law, child victims and child witnesses. The objectives of the guidelines are to educate stakeholders on their responsibilities regarding age assessment of children based on national legislation and international standards; for actors to gain necessary skills and knowledge of context-appropriate methods of evidence collection on age to ensure due process and for age assessment Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone Initial Report on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2002-2014