JMI
The Centre for Early Childhood Development & Research (CECDR), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has conducted first of the four training programmes for Delhi Government officials from two districts (West & South West) on ‘Family Strengthening & Alternative Care’ in collaboration with the Department of Women & Child Development of the Government of NCT.
Zubair Meenai, Director, CECDR welcoming the participants pointed out that the CECDR is the first and only organisation in India to be empanelled to support the Government in foster care programme implementation and it is fully committed to creating a favourable environment for all children in the country.
The training held on September 16, 2017 was aimed at empowering the Child Welfare Committees (CWC), District Child Protection Units (DCPU) and Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAA) to work in the field of alternative care and family strengthening. One of the important aspects was to familiarize the participants to the Government of India’s Model Guidelines on Foster Care 2016.
Interactive sessions that included a discussion on family & vulnerability of the children led by Rekha Sharma Sen, IGNOU, specific roles and responsibilities of government functionaries in sponsorship, aftercare and foster care led by Ian AnandForber Pratt, Director of Advocacy - South Asia, CERI and Sarita Kumar, District Child Protection Officer, Government of NCT of Delhi were the highlights of the programme.
The training offered practical solutions and a roadmap for family-based care as per the Juvenile Justice (Child Care & Protection) Act, 2015. The participants were informed about the Juvenile Justice (Child Care & Protection) Rules, 2016.
Sufia Azmat and Seema Naaz of CECDR, JMI introduced the participants to the Model Guidelines for Foster Care 2016 and led interactive session on the procedures to be followed by the various functionaries while working in the field.
Col Deepak Kumar, CEO, Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) applauded CECDR’s efforts to organise the training programme to build capacity of the government functionaries which he said was much needed.
“There is a need for training the functionaries working on the ground on the new and modified rules, regulations and guidelines time to time,” he said. Col Kumar also informed the participants about the recent developments in the field of adoption in India.
Most of the participants were newly recruited staff members of the District Child Protection Units (DCPUs). The included social workers, outreach workers, welfare officers & legal officers. Over the coming weeks the remaining seven districts of Delhi will be given similar orientation.
