Samaj Suraksha Sankul becomes the first institute to succeed in foster care placement

Samaj Suraksha Sankul placed a 14-year-old boy from Children’s Home for Boys (CHB) in a foster care family on June 14, 2019. It is for the first time in Gujarat that an institute has completed the process for foster care facility and succeeded.

Deepak Foundation’s Director Archana Joshi, Promila Zalpuri, secretariat in-charge of Consortium for Inclusive Education, Bharat Vaya, Principal of Samaj Suraksha Sankul, Mukesh Modi, Project Manager of Sankul were present during the proceedings. Foster care family were elated to welcomed the child.

Government officials including Amit Vasava (District Child Protection Officer), Parul Parmar (Protection Officer Institutional Care), Jitendra Maheriya (Protection Officer Non-Institutional Care) and Mausam Prajapati (Counsellor) from District Child Protection Unit, Dhimant Bhatt (Chairperson) along with Archana Ben Patel, Paresh Bhai Brahmbhatt, Ranvir Singh Jadeja and Jai Prakash Churgar from Child Welfare Committee and CCI Superintendents were also present during the proceedings.

Foster care is the temporary placement of a child and youth with families in order to provide safe, stable, nurturing environment. The process includes intervention of District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), District Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Child Care Institute (CCI), District Social Defense Officer (DSCO).

The foster care family’s fitness for child’s care were assessed by the DCPU. DCPO counselled the child regarding his willingness for the facility. One committee meeting was held in the presence of SDO, CWC chairperson, DCPO, 1 CCI member wherein the child and the foster parent were asked to demonstrate their mutual agreement. After committee’s approval, the child was handed over to the foster parent. This will be followed by regular visits by the DCPU team to ensure the facilities.

About Samaj Suraksha Sankul:

Samaj Suraksha Sankul is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Deepak Foundation and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (Govt. of Gujarat), under which the foundation has undertaken the operations and management of the institute. Samaj Suraksha Sankul is a residential and support institute for visually impaired, physically challenged and children in need of care and protection.