Living in Children’s Homes and the Alternative Care Policy are aligned to the UN Guidelines on Alternative Care. The Child Welfare Policy provides guidelines for working with children, families and communities for the prevention of and response to violence, exploitation and abuse and strongly emphasizes strengthening families and communities to prevent breakdown and separation of children. 432. The Ministry has improved coordination of child protection services at district, regional and national levels to guide the provision of services for street children and other vulnerable groups of children and has established a Street Children’s Project to oversee the provision of services to street children. The project in Freetown and Makeni identifies, documents, provides interim care, traces and reunifies street children with their families and communities. 433. Government with technical assistance from UNICEF has established a family tracing and reunification network in all districts and identified a focal FTR organization in each district. The network also works through decentralised Child Welfare Committees which bring together traditional leaders, and community stakeholders and a child representative. Through the network, Family Tracing and Reunification (FTR) can be conducted effectively so that referrals can be done appropriately to agencies based on their location and capacity. A FTR system aims to ensure systematic data collection, analysis and management of data (on separated and unaccompanied children) to ensure appropriate actions and monitoring of such actions. In addition, it aims to ensure adequate case management in order to reintegrate the child with the biological family/extended family once the child has been identified and the environment assessed for its suitability for the child: this ranges from individual support planning, to referral and monitoring of the family and the child. 434. The MSWGCA with technical support from UNICEF is undertaking a qualitative study on the situation of street children, to identify the causal factors for children living on the streets, the problems they are faced with, the services available to them, the capacity of NGOs and government ministries providing services to street children, and the factors inhibiting their access to essential services. This information will provide evidence that will guide the development of systemic interventions to prevent and respond to children living on the streets. 435. As a result of the preceding initiatives, between 2010 and 2012 the MSWGCA identified and reunified 117 children (108 boys and 9 girls) with their families. There is no information on how many street children have been supported by NGOs in interim or drop-in centres. 436. In addition, the MSWGA and local councils are more aware of their roles and responsibilities, the inequities faced by vulnerable groups of children especially street children and the importance of strengthening the child protection system to respond to the needs of all children. 9.6 Children of imprisoned mothers (article 30) 437. The GoSL, acting through the MSWGCA allows mothers with infants to keep their children with them in prison. It provides the mothers and infants with medical, psycho-social and parenting support. 9. Special Protection Measures  111