Presentation by Dr Bharati Sharma (Chair person ,CWC,Delhi)

FOSTER CARE
Dr. Bharti Sharma
Chairperson
Child Welfare Committee, Delhi
State Consultation on Foster Care
In Delhi
8 th Feb,05

WHAT IS FOSTERING?
Fostering is looking after someone else’s child in your own home at a time when the child’s family is unable to do so.

WHAT SHOULD FOSTER CARE DO?
Foster care should provide to the child a nurturing environment in the family that is

# SAFE

# SECURE

# STABLE

# STIMULATING

WHEN IS FOSTER CARE NEEDED?
• Family breakdown
• Family illness
• Relationship difficulty
• Child’s safety is threatened
• Child is lost
• Child is abandoned
• Natural and man-made calamity

FOSTER CARE FOR HOW LONG?
Temporary
 For days
 Months
 Years
Ultimately
 Most to return home
 Some can get adopted
 Some can go to institutional care

WHAT WILL A FOSTER CARER DO?
1. Children separated from families feel confused, anxious and distressed. So may behave in difficult ways.
 Foster carer to comfort and reassure the child.
 Need to stick to the child and help to find ways of coping.

2. Children have their own cultural background.
 Foster care to acknowledge and respect this.

3. Foster carer to work with the child’s parents and help the child to be reunited with them.
 Encourage parents visits
 Try to keep them involved in child’s life

4. Foster carer to ensure the safety of the child.
 Protect the child
 Teach the child to keep himself/herself safe

5. Foster carer and social worker work in partnership to look after the child and ensure his/her psychosocial needs.
 Regular meetings to talk and discuss how the child is getting on and the future plan. (The child and the parents participate)

6. Foster carer to encourage the child learns and enjoys school. (Education/ vocational training)

7. Foster carer to protect and promote the physical and mental health needs of the child.

8. Foster carer to protect and respect the child’s and the family’s confidentiality.

9. Fostering involves the whole family. Sometimes it can become very demanding and challenging


FOSTER PLACEMENTS – KINDS
 Emergency Placement
 Short term placement
(Task centered work with the child and the family where the purpose and the duration of placement are explicit.)
 Assessment Placement
(Usually of four months during which detailed assessment is made of the physical, emotional, therapeutic needs of the child)
 Long term placement
(Till eighteen years.)

To Conclude
Major Highlights
• Always Temporary
• Congenial Family
• Emphasis on processes in all aspects – “HOW” not just “What”
• Capacity building of Social Worker
• Capacity building of the foster carer/s
• Round- the- clock help line for the foster carer

Foster care

QIC & AC Delhi, from the very beginning, generated debate on the issue of Foster care as it strongly believed in promotion of various alternatives for children instead of institutionalization. QIC & AC DElhi is concerned on the constitution of separate committee for formulation of foster care rules and the scope of participation for civil society in it. A proposal from QIC & AC will be sent to the department for initiating participation of civil society in the rule making process. Udayan care will anchor the Foster care and the group will support whenever expected.[1]

Brief background of the QIC & AC Delhi's effort on Foster Care Rules:
In February 2005 , QIC & AC Delhi proposed the government with the draft of Foster Care Rules. The important activity during the year was the revival of advocacy efforts for notification of Foster Care Rules by Delhi government. Several meetings were held individually by core team members with Secretary, DSW and two meetings were held were large group went to meet and finalize the rules. Detailed discussions were made on every word of the proposed rules before it could be sent to law division. By 15th June 2005 it was almost likely that the rules will be out within a month but unfortunately the Secretary cum Director has got transferred and a new person has joined. The group is keeping its fingers crossed hoping that the outgoing director must have cleared the foster care rules.

§ Delhi Foster Care Rules - Notification
The draft foster care rules was submitted in June 2006 and deliberation has taken place by the dept. of social welfare with then director cum Secretary Dr. Narender Kumar. Regular meetings were held with Department of social welfare and the draft rule has been sent to Law Department for valuation. The process got setback due to frequent transfer of senior officials and also department waiting for amendments under the Juvenile Justice (care and protection) Act, 2000. After the amendments Department is in process of reviewing the amendment and will incorporate necessary inputs in the draft Foster Care rule which was framed by QIC&AC and Government officials together in April-June 2006. A reminding letter was send to the Director, Dept. of Social welfare on 20th March 2007 to get an affirmative response towards notification of rules. Another reminder for this matter on 24th May, 2007 to the Director.

Ms. Ratna Saxena has also made a reference to Mr. Gajendra Kumar Srivastava- Principal Secretary of Social Welfare. A copy of the Rule has been send to CARA, Mr. Shahu for incorporation in the Model rule being framed by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India, as Mr. Shahu was worked in Social Sector to look into the matters related to adoption, foster Care and Sponsorship, Birth registration Certificate as well as linkage with competent authorities under J.J. Act 2000 & Amendment 2006.
During a National workshop organized by CARA on 23rd- 24th April 2006. Mr.M.M.Vidyarthi attended this Workshop. Dr. Bharti Sharma has also taken a set of rule to discuss this during meeting with Joint Secretary of Women and Child Development.

Discussion has also got initiated regarding developing draft rules for sponsorship. The first draft rule for Sponsorship has been developed and feedbacks from Child Welfare Committee Members and Welfare Officers are being taken through individual consultations. It will be shared within the larger group for finalization in the next year.
[1] See the link Monthly meeting (Held on 7 August, 2008)http://qicacmonthlymeetings.blogspot.com/