17 children in district under foster care
For the youngsters who are conned to the four walls of a children’s home in Kozhikode, summer vacation is the time when they ‘go home’. Most of them do not have parents, or have been abandoned, or are not in a position to stay at home. However, the foster care programme of the Department of Women and Child Welfare has been successful in giving them homes at least during the summer vacation.
Long-term care
Of the 18 children in government as well as nongovernment children’s homes in the district, 17 are enjoying the fruit of the Foster Care programme under which willing families take them home and take care of them as their own children.
Most families opt to keep the children long term and beyond the summer vacation under the ‘Long term foster care programme’ once they connect with each other emotionally.
One of the children was even adopted by a foster family.
The foster care programme oered by the department was revived and popularised in 2017, when the demand for eligible children (those who are not to be claimed by anyone else) went up, District Child Welfare Ocer Shyni K said.
Ocials of the department keep track of the whereabouts of the children under foster care regularly in order to ensure their welfare.