ONI Bureau: The family is a natural environment for growth, well-being and protection of children. However, children with inadequate or no parental care are at special risk of exploitation and abuse and require alternative care services.
To inform and discuss Alternative forms of Child Care for children in need of care and protection or for those separated from their parents, UNICEF organized a media roundtable on ‘Alternative forms of Child Care’ here today. Panellists included Mr. Harihar Nayak, Member, Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR; Rajendra Meher, Secretary, Youth Council for Development Alternatives (YCDA), which is implementing some of the alternatives in the state, and UNICEF Specialists, Laxminarayan Nanda and Alka Gupta.
Rajendra Meher, Secretary, YCDA spoke about Odisha’s experience on different forms of Alternative Child Care, “Instead of institutionalising children, alternative child care is a better option, as it provides them a safe environment to grow until they are reunited with their parents or are permanently rehabilitated”. “YCDA in collaboration with District Administration of Boudh, Bolangir & Khurdha and technical partnership with UNICEF, has initiated several interventions to demonstrate alternative forms of child care. This includes Kinship Care, Independent Living, Sponsorship and After Care,” he added.
Harihar Nayak, Member of Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) spoke about the role of the Commission towards Protection of Child Rights. He said, “Since Kinship Care is a widely accepted practice especially in rural areas, it is important to bring Kinship Care and Independent Living practices into the legal framework, so that the children get their rights and entitlements.”