Thiruvananthapuram: In an effort to provide proper rehabilitation for hundreds of children who are not legally available for adoption living in shelter homes and child care institutions, the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare has decided to promote foster care programme in the state.
The council has placed around five children under foster care programme in October this year. According to officials, since the promotion of the programme started the council has received around 20 applications, which is being processed.
Currently, the foster care programme –which aims at providing family experience to children – is being implemented through the District Child Protection Units. The authorities of the Council said that the programme will be implemented with the help of Child Protection Units of the respective districts.
As per the statistics of the Crime Records Bureau 629 cases of children in conflict with law under IPC and Special and Local Laws have been reported in Kerala in 2016.
Former member of Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights advocate J. Sandhya, said that the government should give a wide promotion for foster care initiative.
“I was a foster parent and had brought home a child who was with me for two months. The focus should be more on sustainable and long-term rehabilitation for children. Prospective foster parents should be able to submit application throughout the year and the authorities should ensure that every semi orphaned child under eight years of age arriving at the homes should get rehabilitated under foster care,” said J Sandhya, who is also one of the Executive Committee Members of Administrative Reforms Commission.
It is reported that in 68 per cent of the child sexual abuse cases reported in the state, the accused are close relative of the child.
Special officer of Social Justice Department Sub-air K.K. said that in some cases, the biological parents or relatives are not interested in the foster programme. “Major challenge is convincing the relatives of the child on the programme. Currently, vacation foster care, individual foster care, group foster care initiatives are ongoing in the state,” said Mr Subair.
