A Family Strengthening and Sponsorship Demonstration Model in India

Abstract

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) states that in order to reach full and harmonious development, a child should grow up in a family environment and whenever possible, with their biological family. If the biological family is unable to care for the child, she is best cared for in a family or family-like setting, rather than in an institution. This prioritisation of care options is reflected in all Indian child protection legislation including the Juvenile Justice Act (Child Care & Protection) 2015 and the Integrated Child Protection Scheme, 2014 and supplemented by the Rules and Guidelines issued by the Government of India under this law. Recently, in 2017, the Supreme Court of India has issued directions6 to the Government and the Ministry of Women and Children Development to look at possibilities of family strengthening. This article is an analysis of a State sponsored scheme in Rajasthan, the Palanhar Yojana, which has been successful in demonstrating the success of the scheme as an instrument of family strengthening. The article analyses the assessment survey of about 366 Palanhar Yojana (Caregiver Scheme)7 beneficiary families in the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan, with the aim of creating an evidence-based foundation on which to design community-oriented family preservation/strengthen services. The conclusion of the article offers the concept for a family strengthening model as derived from the results of the survey. The intent is to add an applied value to the article.