TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The cabinet has approved the Goa (Technical/Vocational training to sex workers and sexually abused women) Scheme, 2013 titled Prabhat and foster care scheme titled Vatsalya, the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
Supreme Court had directed the state governments to prepare a scheme for giving technical or vocational training to sex workers and sexually abused women so as to enable them to earn their livelihood. The scheme will be operated by Department of Women and Child Development.
According to the scheme, a victim of commercial sexual exploitation who is a resident of Goa is eligible to apply for the benefits. The victims are to be provided a stipend of Rs 2,500 per month for a period of three months or till she joins a livelihood programme. According to the scheme the probation officer will assess the victim’s literacy, skills, interest and help them to join appropriate technical or vocational training programme with emphasis on training programmes with job opportunities such as repair of home appliances, mobile repair, beauty treatment, tailoring, bakery and catering. The training will be provided by the government or non-government institutes.
The victim will be supported for their education till Class XII and admitted in a government run shelter home where the probation officer will assist the victim in finding a job based on the interests and skills of the victim in case the victim is unable to get a job.
The second scheme ~ the Foster Care scheme or Vatsalya ~ will be implemented as prescribed by the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Section 42 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and in compliance with Rule 34 of the Model Rules of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007.
Children can be placed in foster care till the child attains the age of 18 years and can be extended upto the age of 21 years depending on the assessment of Child Welfare Committee. The maximum maintenance allowance per child or monthly Foster Care Allowance payable to the foster families for the welfare of the child will be Rs 2,500 per month. The scheme will include children affected by family breakup or marital discord; children faced with upheavals caused by family illness, substance abuse or any other crisis; children whose safety is at risk; children who are victims of natural or man-made disasters; orphaned, surrendered/relinquished, abandoned children; children who cannot be placed in adoption for various reasons; children in institutions who can be “reinstated” or “restored” back into families; and a child in conflict with the law.The foster family has to belong to a similar social-economic and cultural milieu. The criteria for selection shall be in accordance with Section 35 of the Model Rules of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act: Foster parents should have stable emotional adjustment within the family and should have an income in which they are able to meet the basic needs of the child. The foster care maintenance allowance, assistance should not be their motivation for caring for the child and they should not be totally dependent on the same. The Child Welfare Committee shall assess whether the monthly family income is adequate to take care of the foster children. Medical reports of all family members residing in the premises should be obtained including checks on HIV, TB and Hepatitis B to determine their medical fitness. The foster parents should have adequate exposure, orientation and capacity in child caring and the capacity to provide good child care. The foster parents should be physically, mentally and emotionally stable; the home should have adequate space and basic facilities; the foster care family should be willing to follow rules laid down including making regular visits to a pediatrician, immunization of the child, maintenance of child’s health records; the family should be willing to sign an agreement and to return the child to the Child Welfare Committee if directed by the Committee to do so.
Supervisory visits of the foster family shall be conducted by the Child Care Coordinator and a Foster Care Report prepared to assess the child’s adjustment in the foster home.
