Protecting Children Without Family Care
Preventing Family Separation and Strengthening Family-Based Alternative Care for Children Without Parental Care in India
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Family is the most nurturing, caring and safe environment for a child's growth and development. Children living away from parental care are one of the most vulnerable and at-risk groups of children.
However, in India, there are large numbers of children living without parental care, many of them in childcare institutions or living on the streets, at transport terminals, child workers/ labourers, children on the move, victims of human trafficking and children convicted of crimes, amongst several others.
It also includes children who are in an abusive family environment or are abandoned by their parents. Risks of family separation are exacerbated by social breakdown, conflict, poverty, unsafe migration, and disability.
A nationwide review of Child Care Institutions in 2018 by the MWCD found 370,227 children in need of care and protection and 7,422 children in conflict with the law living in CCIs.
In April 2020, at the time of the Supreme Court of India's order to deinstitutionalize children due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 227,518 children in need of care and protection in institutional care and 8,614 children in conflict with the law.
Despite efforts to promote non-institutional care in India, family-based care has advanced only slowly.
The Government of India is committed to promoting family-based care for all children. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act 2021 emphasizes these principles and institutionalization as a last resort.
“Every child deserves the love and security of a family—because institutions can provide shelter, but only families can nurture dreams.”
The Mission Vatsalya guidelines articulated this vision and commitment and increased focus, visibility, funding, and emphasis on preventing family separation and promoting a safe, nurturing, and protected environment for children's holistic development.
UNICEF has supported state governments in developing and implementing innovative models of family-based alternative care, including foster care and kinship care, across several states. In collaboration with state governments, UNICEF is also developing strategic action plans to deinstitutionalize and prevent family separation.
This also includes strengthening families through various social protection schemes and services. UNICEF has also supported aftercare for care-leaving youth through the mobilization and collectivization efforts that have led to the formation of a National Care Leavers Network and linkages with the private sector for job readiness and vocational training.
These models have immense potential to be scaled up and replicated to strengthen family-based alternative care in the country. UNICEF's collaboration with 17 state governments enhanced the work on preventing family separation, family-based alternative care, deinstitutionalization, and aftercare support to children.
To shift the focus of child protection from response to prevention and from institutional to family-based care, UNICEF collaborates with state governments to develop a comprehensive plan and guidelines for care reform on deinstitutionalization and promoting Family-Based Alternative Care (FBAC).
Working across states and national levels, there has been a significant shift in the willingness to transition to family and community-based alternative care systems, necessitating a reassessment and revision of current positions and job profiles within the child protection system, along with a revision of the knowledge, skills and competencies required to fulfil those roles.
UNICEFs Role
Through its interventions, UNICEF is partnering with the government across states with development, planning, training, capacity development and monitoring of results on deinstitutionalization and Family Alternative Care.
Understanding the necessity to develop evidence, convene partners, and innovate models to promote the protection of children without parental care. To institutionalize knowledge building, sharing and learning, UNICEF supports the India Alternative Care Network.
UNICEF's efforts to improve case management systems through building capacities and support family strengthening services have led to increased placements in family-based alternative care, family tracing for restoration and identification of children who are vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation.