Govt asks committee to identify orphaned, abandoned children in villages for support

New Delhi [India], July 6 : The Ministry of Women and Child Development has asked the Child Welfare and Protection Committee to identify the children who may be in need of help and support in difficult circumstances, officials said on Thursday.

Ministry officials said that the Committee has been asked to identify the children who are eligible for support in difficult circumstances under Mission Vatsalya envisages a robust ecosystem through the network of state and local governments to ensure the safety and security of children in the country.

Under the existing scheme guideline, Standing/Sub-Committee system of the local bodies, the function of child welfare and protection issues may be assigned to the existing committee of the urban local body/Panchayati Raj Institution/Gram Panchayat which deals with issues of social justice/welfare of women and children.

In this spirit, CW&PC at the village level will identify the children who are eligible for support likely to be in difficult circumstances, orphans, street children, etc. These children will be facilitated under the sponsorship component of the Mission Vatsalya Scheme, officials said.

Sponsorship facilities will be provided to these Children as per the recommendation of CWC and approved by the Sponsorship and Foster Care Approval Committee (SFCAC). States/UTs will be requested accordingly to extend facilities of sponsorship to the eligible children.

As a Sponsorship financial support may be extended to vulnerable children living with extended families/biological relatives for supporting their education, nutrition, and health needs.

"The sponsorship will be of two types government-aided sponsorship and private-aided", WCD officials said.

Under foster care, the responsibility of the child is undertaken by an unrelated family for care, protection, and rehabilitation of the child. Financial support is provided to biologically unrelated Foster Parents for nurturing the child, they said.

For Adoption finding families for the children found legally free for adoption. Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAA) will facilitate the adoption programme.

Aftercare of the children who are leaving a Child Care Institution on completion of 18 years of age may be provided with financial support to facilitate the child's re-integration into mainstream of society.

Such support may be given from the age of 18 years up to 21 years, extendable up to 23 years of age to help her/him become self-dependent, officials added.