A few years ago, Suresh (named changed), an orphan hailing from Tiruvannamalai, left an after- care organisation (ACO) to build his own life. But what followed was hard labour and rejection. The course that he was trained in at the home had no value outside. He has been struggling ever since to make a decent living.
“This is the case with many children who leave ACOs,” said R. Vidyasagar, former child protection specialist, UNICEF. “There is no individual child care plan or follow-up of the children once they leave. What they do, where they go, remains largely unknown,” he said.
There are three ACOs functioning in the State at Chengalpattu, Vellore and Madurai. The one in Vellore is for girls and the other two are for boys. They are meant to provide care and protection to children discharged from special homes for a period not exceeding three years and train them to receive gainful employment once they step out. However, experts claim that the courses provided in the organisations are outdated and do not guarantee employment. “Carpentry and wiring — these courses have very few takers. Today, the world is going global, the courses must be structured accordingly,” said A. Narayanan, director, CHANGEIndia.
According to the latest report released by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, of the 149 children admitted to ACO between 2010-15, only 46 have completed the course.
“There is no clear mention of a timeline, course structure, or follow-up for children in ACOs. Sadly, even the Juvenile Justice Act, 2016, draft rules put forth by the State have neglected it,” said Andrew Sesuraj, State convenor, Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO).
Officials from the Department of Social Defence said that apart from ensuring the well-being of children in ACOs, they have also been providing yearly financial assistance of Rs. 45 lakhs to NGOs providing after care facilities under community-based rehabilitation.
“There is a need for transparency and in-depth study in this area. Unless this is done, the future of children remains precarious,” said Girija Kumar Babu, general secretary, Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW).
