The foster care system in India is still underdeveloped and unstructured as it lacks a centralised framework and continuous monitoring to prevent abuse. India has a lot of scope but due to misinformation and lack of awareness, foster parenting has not taken off. Here we publish an article on foster care and the children available for foster care at Bapuji Children’s Home in Mysuru. —Ed

By Sujata Rajpal

Actress Marilyn Monroe, musician John Lennon, former CEO of Apple Steve Jobs, singer Cher, actress Samantha Morton, singer Seal… What is common between these names?

Besides being highly successful in their respective fields, the other significant fact which binds these celebrities is their experience of being raised in foster homes.

Some enjoyed supportive foster environments while others faced challenges. Nevertheless each person’s foster care experience profoundly shaped their lives.

This journey instilled resilience and determination, contributing to their achievements. Many a movies (such as Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway) have been produced and books written on foster care system though these primarily portray foster care in bad light. The concept of foster care has its origin in many places and times such as early Christian church records. In Japan, parents would send their children to farm families to learn farming and make a livelihood.

Foster care scenario in India

When Mrs. and Mr. Bishnoi, lost their only child to dengue, on a friend’s advice, this couple from Orissa, brought home 8- year-old twins from a Children’s Home who once again filled their home and heart with love and joy. The Bishnoi couple became so attached to the children that they adopted them. After two years in foster care, the children are eligible to be adopted by their foster parents. But such cases are rare due to lack of awareness and societal compulsions.

In India, traditional foster family structures often meant that children were sometimes raised by uncles, aunts or grandparents when their biological parents could not care for them due to financial or personal issues.

In western countries, children are usually placed in foster homes for better care when their biological parents are unable to raise them well. In contrast, formal foster care in India is a relatively recent concept, often misunderstood.

Conventionally, Indian parents believe in permanency which foster parenting fails to provide. Foster parenting ends at the age of eighteen and the children can be taken away by their biological parents anytime. Another, foster parents can’t give their name to their children.

According to CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority), the nodal agency for adoption in India, there are 34,988 prospective parents registered for adoption but only 2,159 children are eligible for adoption; the rest who are either not legally fit to be adopted or have low chances of adoption, spend their entire childhood languishing in institutes, longing for a family to take them home. It’s this pool of children who can potentially be put up for fostering. Rightly said, even the best institutions can’t replace the warmth of a loving family.

India has a lot of scope but due to misinformation and lack of awareness, foster parenting has not taken off.

Unlike the lengthy and emotionally exhaustive adoption process, foster care can provide immediate stability and support to the children while giving immense satisfaction and joy for the foster parents.

The foster care system in India is still underdeveloped and unstructured as it lacks a centralised framework and continuous monitoring to prevent abuse. The government is increasingly recognising the importance of family-based care over institutionalisation by providing financial assistance to fostering families to support the upbringing of foster children. New revised model attempts to facilitate and streamline foster parenting in India. With concerted efforts, the foster care system can evolve into a robust option for nurturing vulnerable children.

Difference between adoption and foster care

Adoption is permanent whereas foster care is temporary. In foster care, a child is temporarily placed in a foster home for better care and upbringing because the child’s biological parents are not able to give a normal home to the child. The legal responsibility remains with the council, social worker or the biological parents.

In adoption, the adopted parents are legally responsible for the child and the child becomes a permanent part of the adoptive family.

Ideally, foster care is a win-win for both children and their foster parents. For children, it offers an opportunity for a near-normal childhood, access to education, and resources that have been denied to them due to their unfortunate circumstances. For foster parents, it provides the joy of nurturing and influencing young minds while allowing for a commitment that doesn’t necessarily last a lifetime. Foster parenting is also a litmus test for the parents to know if they are mentally ready to adopt a child

What the law says

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act) established the foster care system in India’s juvenile justice system. The JJ Act was amended in 2015 and 2021, and the guidelines for foster care were revised in 2022. According to the revised guidelines, anyone can foster a child, regardless of marital status or whether they have biological children.

A foster parent is eligible to adopt the child after two years in foster care. Children over the age of six living in child  care institutions or having ‘unfit guardians’ can be fostered.

Note: Bapuji Children’s Home in Gokulam currently has 3 girl children, aged 10, for foster care. After two years, the foster children are eligible to be adopted by foster parents. Interested may contact Mrs. Nanda on Mob: 99453-73076.