Soon,foster family for homeless kids

One of Sheila Dikshit government’s showcase schemes,it will be introduced in the upcoming Budget session beginning June 15,according to officials. The Social Welfare Department this week sent a copy of the draft rules to Delhi’s Women and Child Welfare Minister Kiran Walia. Once the rules are finalised,it will be sent to the Lieutenant-Governor for notification.

“A child usually gets loveless care in an institution,without much emotional support,” minister Walia told Newsline. “We want each child to be brought up in a family atmosphere.”

A Social Welfare Department official said the scheme will be open to any family,as also single parents — such families would be given a monthly incentive of between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500; the figure,though,has not been finalised yet.

The family,according to the official,is required to give the child regular schooling but unlike in cases of adoption,the child would have no legal right to the family’s property in the foster care system.

The foster care scheme,which has been in place in the United Kingdom and Germany,will not include children living in observation homes,the official said.

Families under dept’s watch

According to the official,families that opt for a child under the foster care system would be under “strict supervision”,so that they cannot use the child as domestic help,or harass him/her in any way. As per the draft rules,officials from an NGO will make surprise visits at least four times a year to check on the families,which will be selected after a rigorous process including interviews by the child welfare committee.

A detailed psychological profiling of the family will also be done,the official said.

According to the official,there is no minimum income criteria,though the child welfare committee will ensure that a family that opts for the scheme is able to support the child. “We are open to all families,though more than middle class families we are looking at lower-middle class,” the official added. 

According to the official,the family and the child will spend three to six months getting familiar with each other: “We will not supplant the child with a strange family. For first few times,a child will be sent for few hours — to have lunch or dinner with the family and then spend a day at their home. The child will be sent only if both the child and the family react well to each other after a series of such visits.”

The government has passed a rule that siblings will be placed together.  

Significantly,the Social Welfare Department would work for restoring the child to his/her biological family even as the child is in foster care. “In case the child’s biological family is found,we will have to take him/her way from the foster family,” the official said.

Foster care scheme

* Open to any family,as also single parents

* Families to get monthly incentive of Rs 2,000-2,500

* Family required to give child regular schooling

* Unlike adoption,child won’t have any legal right to property

* “Strict supervision” of families