the roles and responsibilities of the MSWGCA and the focal agencies for FTR and referral procedures between agencies and the MSWGCA. FTR referral tools and guidelines were developed to capacitate role players and strengthen procedures. Development partners have also supported four focal organizations (Family Homes Movement, Ben Hirsch, Christian Brothers and St. Georges Foundation) to strengthen the FTR network in four districts (Freetown, Western Area Rural District, Bo and Kenema). Through these four focal organizations, MSWGCA and local council staff were trained on Alternative Care procedures and guidelines. Foster care networks were also established in each district to provide community based care for children as an alternative to institutional care. Families of separated and unaccompanied children were traced and communities were sensitized on how to care for children not living with their biological parents. 176. As a result of the FTR initiative, significant progress has been made in improving the regulation and monitoring of residential care facilities as well as reunification of children with their families. Notably:  The MSWGCA has conducted a nation-wide assessment of all RCCFs. The Ministry has registered all RCCFs and has closed down those that do not meet the prescribed standards. Between 2008 and 2013, six RCCFs were closed down and over 650 children were reunified with their families (UNICEF-Sierra Leone, 2013).  A directory of service providers is now available in each of the four districts.  120 staff from MSWGCA/local councils and child protection organizations were trained on FTR.  120 children were registered for family tracing and reunification, 50 families were traced and reunited with children, and 100 foster parents were identified and trained.  To raise awareness on the negative practices of kinship care and its impact on children, 24 radio panel discussions were conducted in Freetown, Waterloo, Bo and Kenema. 177. Formal foster care placements and adoptions through court-monitored processes however remain an infrequent occurrence, given the low capacity to follow the procedures outlined in the Child Rights Act and given the lack of available accredited foster care parents. Monitoring of court-ordered alternative care placements other than in RCCFs is meant to be undertaken by Child Welfare Committees at a villagelevel. This is however not happening because of lack of capacity. The majority of alternative care arrangements which take the form of informal foster care arrangements remain largely unregulated and unmonitored because of legal and regulatory gaps and insufficient capacity. 178. An Alternative Care Policy, awaiting final Cabinet approval, has thus been developed and will be implemented under the guidance of the Alternative Care Task Force to address the identified gaps so as to improve the provision of safe and appropriate alternative care for vulnerable children in Sierra Leone. 179. The starting point of the policy is that the family is the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth, well-being and protection of children. In Sierra Leone child protection efforts should primarily be directed to enabling the child 50  Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone Initial Report on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2002-2014