About the Charter
The Charter for Ethical Child Protection is an independent public ethical initiative concerned with children’s rights, the dignity of family life, and the ethical boundaries of state protective power.
Its purpose is to encourage careful examination of how children can be protected from harm while ensuring that protective decisions remain grounded in reliable evidence, respect for fundamental rights, procedural fairness, proportionality and accountability.
The Charter recognises both the responsibility to protect children from harm and the responsibility to prevent avoidable harm arising from protective intervention itself.
Founded upon three ethical principles and developed through seventeen articles, the Charter offers a framework for public discussion, professional reflection and consideration of institutional reform.
Founding Draft V1.4 | 26 September 2026
Status: Independent Ethical Initiative | Pre-Public Consultation Draft
The Charter is open to public and professional consultation. Comments, critical examination and constructive proposals for amendment are welcome.
Read the Charter
The full text of the Charter is available in two versions:
English Master Text — Founding Draft V1.4
The authoritative English text of the Charter.
Chinese Reference Translation — Founding Draft V1.4
A Chinese reference translation provided to support wider reading and consultation.
Both versions are available as PDF documents.
Public Consultation
The Charter for Ethical Child Protection is open to public and professional consultation.
We welcome comments, critical examination and constructive proposals for amendment from individuals, families, researchers, legal professionals, child protection practitioners, civil society organisations and other interested parties.
Contributions may address the Charter as a whole or refer to specific Principles or Articles.
Participation in consultation does not imply endorsement of the Charter. Comments and proposals will be considered as part of its continuing development.
How to Submit Comments
Comments, criticisms and proposed amendments may be submitted by email to:
Please indicate the relevant Principle or Article where appropriate.
Submissions may be made in English or Chinese. Contributors are encouraged to provide clear reasons for their comments or proposed amendments.
All contributions will be considered with care, although individual responses cannot be guaranteed.
Publication Information
Document: Charter for Ethical Child Protection
Initiator: Su Qing
Version: Founding Draft V1.4
Date: 26 September 2026
Status: Independent Ethical Initiative | Pre-Public Consultation Draft
English Text: English Master Text
Chinese Text: Chinese Reference Translation
This Charter is an independent public ethical initiative. It is not legislation and does not replace applicable law or established legal procedures.
The English Master Text serves as the primary reference for the present draft. The Chinese Reference Translation is provided to support wider reading, understanding and consultation.
Future revisions will be identified by updated version numbers and publication dates.
