Over 14,000 children staying in child care homes in A.P., many of them even after crossing 18 years

CCI managements violating rules by not restoring children to their families, allege activists

Official instructions to the managements of child care homes to give priority to reuniting children with their families and not keep them in homes for long periods, are reportedly being observed more in breach and much against the rules.

According to official sources, more than 70 children in the 0-5 age group, who are either abandoned or are orphans have been kept in the government-run Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs), also known as Sishu Gruhas in the State while more than 14,000 children aged below 18 years, who were victims of underage marriages, drug abuse, rescued child labourers, rape victims, runaway kids, and orphans were referred to 497 Child Care Institutions (CCIs).

However, many of them, even after crossing 18 years of age, have been kept in child care homes illegally without being reunited with their families, alleged child rights activists.

“My daughter is in a care home. I urge the CWC officials to send her home for a few days,” said a woman, who visited the CWC in Krishna district a couple of days ago.

“It is sad that many women will not be able to celebrate Mother’s Day (on Sunday), as their dear ones are stuck in various child care homes in the State. The children are suffering mentally due to the long stay in the CCIs,” said State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) Chairman Kesali Appa Rao.

Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department Director M. Vijaya Suneetha said the CCIs should adhere to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and JJ Model Rules. “I will inspect the homes, interact with the inmates and their parents and ensure that the eligible children are freed from the CCIs in the stipulated period,” she told The Hindu.

Adoptions

On the other hand, many couples unaware of the legal adoption procedure are approaching child selling gangs and are resorting to illegal adoptions, Mr. Appa Rao said.

The WD&CW officials gave 132 children for adoption in 2018-19, 159 in 2019-20 and 99 in 2020-21 from the State. Of them, 74 children were given for adoption to couples from counties like U.S., Australia, and Canada as per the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) guidelines.