Kids in welfare homes may soon get foster care

There has been a spike in complaints of child abuse reported from children homes. Foster care can go a long way in providing a home-like atmosphere to such children.

NEW DELHI: Lakhs of children languishing in juvenile homes and child-care institutions across India can now look forward to a family.

With the government notifying the guidelines for foster care, a child between six to 18 years, who is in conflict with law or has been deserted by his parents or where they cannot take care of him/her because of illness or other reason, can be placed in foster care for a short or extended period.

The government will provide a maintenance allowance of upto `2,000 per month to a foster parent if he requests for financial support for the care of a child. A child can stay in foster home till he is 18 years.

Foster care is an arrangement where a child lives, usually on a temporary basis, with unrelated people. Though quite common in the West, it is largely used as a pre-adoption procedure in India. The existing Juvenile Justice Act provides for foster care but in the absence of a proper definition and regulatory framework, it has failed to take off in a significant way. Only two states — Delhi and Goa have passed foster care rules so far.

“There has been a spike in complaints A WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY OFFICIAL

of child abuse reported from children homes. Foster care can go a long way in providing a home-like atmosphere to such children,” a women and child development (WCD) ministry official said.

The official said under the guidelines, a thorough check would be conducted of a prospective family that applies for foster care. “The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in the respective state will conduct a thorough verification to check the family’s ability, intent, capacity and prior experience of taking care of children. Only after the home study report is done will a child be given,” he added.

Once the CWC gives its approval, the family would be issued a license, to be renewed every year, to provide foster care.