Ethiopia launched its National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) in 2014. The policy introduces the concept of a ‘sustainable social protection system’. Various strategies and programmes are underway to support the implementation of the NSPP, but often these are still implemented in a fragmented manner. This review has been developed in order to inform NSSP stakeholders about how other countries have moved towards a systematic approach to increase access to basic services by the poorest and promote child protection measures. Approaches reviewed include: linking safety net clients to complementary services; expanding the social workforce and the role of communities to reduce barriers to access; installing measures that promote multisectoral collaboration as well as integrated targeting and monitoring of social protection programmes.