'Family life important for development of children living in institutional care'

New Delhi: "Family life is important for overall development of children," said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said on Wednesday while releasing a handbook in which they simplified the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in foster care.

Accessed by the Millennium Post, the handbook which was prepared by NCPCR with the help of an NGO, Centre Of Excellence in Alternative Care (India), claimed that the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) should analyse the home study report of the prospective foster family and an inspection should be done every month for the first three months and then after every six months.

The District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) should properly investigate the background of the family who shows interest in foster care and then a detailed database of all placements should be made until the child turns 18 years of age.

The Protection Officer Non-Institutional Care (PO-NIC) will conduct the home study of the families and prepare the report. They will match the family whereas PO Institutional Care will identify the children from institutions requiring foster care.

Stuti Kacker, chairperson NCPCR stated that for overall development, children should get a family environment, they should be taken out of the institutional life and provide them with families like foster parents.

The handbook claimed that foster parents shall provide proper medical attention at the nearest hospital in case the child needs medical treatment and a report and fitness certificate needs to be submitted to CWC. "The Foster Parents should ensure that age-appropriate recreation activities should be provided to the child," added the handbook.

The privacy of the child and his biological family or the guardian should be respected. The confidential information shall not be disclosed to anyone without the prior consent of the parents.

Vashundhara from Centre Of Excellence in Alternative Care (India) claimed that in institutional care, the children do not grow to their full potential, which can happen only with living in the family and foster care is an alternative care for the kids. Foster care is governed by The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules 2016 and The Model Guidelines for Foster Care 2016.