Foster Care in South Asia

Abstract

Only a child can sees things with perfections as he does not have those filters which we use as we grow up. His innocence needs protection and his mind needs development. There are situations where a child may be forced to be alone due to abandonment by or loss of biological care. In this scenario, foster care becomes important to such children. A child is future of a country and none should be left unattended with care as far as possible. Foster care in India has a long history-it is a system in which minor is placed under a certified caregiver, may be institutional. The caregiver is not the biological parent but is no less in terms of the role it plays. Various laws and guidelines govern foster care across the world keeping in mind the strength of the family law system prevalent. The statistics for foster care in Asia is bad-nearly every 2 hours one baby is sent to such homes. In India, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000; Integrated Child Protection Scheme; UN Convention on Rights of Child (1989) and for pre-adoptive foster care is governed by guidelines governing adoption of Children, 2015. A deserted child can be source of trafficking, beggary and crime; deprivation of basic growth, so these laws governing their care comes to play a major role. In India, the National Policy for children was adopted way back in 2013. Risk factors of foster care vary from place to place within Asia. Foster care comes with general responsibility for parents along with rights. A child born out of wedlock too has increased risk of such abandonment and this is not uncommon in Asia where the family system has immense value. Another place where the role of foster care increases, say for instance in a country like Indonesia which is one of the largest sender of migrant workers the child too gets abandoned in the process and these issues like foster care gain greater significance. Other important concerns include-violence, disaster and conflicts not uncommon in Asian countries are other root causes to develop a strong foster care. A child under 3 years of age barely understands anything but love and care and if by destiny he is deprived this then some kind of handholding both by society and the government by appropriate laws needs to cradle such lot for giving appropriate care.