Orphans are now in blessed' homes in Kerala

KOZHIKODE: When Ashiq was taken to a joint family for two months from the Children’s Home at  Vellimadukunnu, he would not have imagined that he would be continuing in the same home  even after the summer holidays. After spending the holidays at the home with ‘new’ parents, siblings and grandparents, he did not feel like leaving them and the family also did not want to part with him.

Ashiq is now staying permanently with the same family, who took him under the ‘Vacation Foster Care’ project. Though the Social Justice Department offered to give the family  money for his well-being, they did not accept it. There are nine ‘orphan’ children now staying in the blessed atmosphere of family under the ‘foster care’ project of the department.

Five children from Kozhikode, three from Kannur and one from Kollam have been taken by foster parents for raising them in their homes as their own children, said Social Justice Department director V.S. Thirumeni from Thiruvananthapuram.  The Juvenile Justice Act permits foster parents to raise orphan children in  their homes as part of ‘non-institutional care.’  

“The response from Kozhikode was surprising. Institutional care is the last thing we resort to under the department. Though there are provisions to send children to foster care home,  none had come forward, may be due to lack of publicity. However, this year, after the ‘Vacation Foster Care’ project became a hit in many districts, more parents are coming to take children from homes in each district,” said Mr Thirumeni.

Couples with children are also taking these children home. Ashiq shifted to a new school and is attending  classes along with ‘his brother’ from the same family. “Here, Uppa (father) takes us for outing whenever he gets time, and I love going out. Sometimes I miss my friends at Vellimadukunnu (children’s home) and once in a while he takes me there also,” the boy said. The District Child Protection Offices (DCPO) select the families considering their social, economical and physical health. The details of the ideal families will be forwarded to the respective Child Welfare Committees, which will monitor the well-being of the children sent. Those willing to take home orphan children aged five to 18 for foster care can contact their respective DCPOs.