Context: Some districts in Maharashtra are set to witness the implementation of a foster care scheme for orphaned children.
Key Points

• Under the scheme, 40 children from various orphanages under the department will be selected.
• Those who want to be foster parents can register online at the department’s commissioner, which is based in Pune.
• This new scheme can be an alternative to adoptions and ensure that a child can develop mentally, physically and socially. 

What is Foster care?

• Foster Care is a family-based non-institutional child care programme that provides temporary/substitute care for children in difficult circumstances.
• Children in the age group of 0 to 6 years who are being considered by the Committee as legally free for adoption and those who have been declared legally free for adoption shall not be considered for placement in foster care. Such children shall be provided with a permanent family through adoption as per Adoption Regulations.
• Children in the age group of 8 to18 years, who are legally free for adoption but have not been selected by any Prospective Adoptive Parent (PAP) for one year, are eligible to be placed in family foster care or group foster care.
• If the child has remained with a foster family for a minimum of five years other than in pre-adoption foster care, then the foster family may apply for adoption of the child.
• Recently, the Ministry of Women and Child Development had issued revised guidelines for the implementation of the Foster Care scheme in the States or Union Territories.
• Revised Guidelines- The Foster Care, 2016 guidelines have been revised in the light of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015.
• The revised guidelines have added components of group foster care where a group of unrelated children are placed with a foster family or under the care of foster caregivers in a family-like setting who may/may not be having their own biological children.

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015

• It was enacted to replace the existing Juvenile Delinquency law, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
• The Act addresses children in the 16-18 age group, in conflict with the law, as an increased incidence of crimes committed by them have been reported over the past few years.
• Provisions- Under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, orphaned children are taken care of in orphanages under the Women and Child Welfare department. 
• It addresses challenges such as delays in adoption processes, high pendency of cases, accountability of institutions, etc. 
• The act had introduced foster care in India. 
• The law had also made provision that while adopting a child, priority is given to disabled children and physically and financially incapable children.
• Special provisions have been made to tackle child offenders committing heinous offences in the age group of 16-18 years. The Juvenile Justice Board is given the option to transfer cases of heinous offences by such children to a Children’s Court (Court of Session) after conducting the preliminary assessment. 

Road Ahead

• Increasing public awareness and outreach campaigns will lead to many families coming forward and being a part of the scheme.