The Ministry of Family and Social Development announced today that individuals interested in temporarily fostering children in state custody now have the opportunity to do so.
To foster these children, interested individuals are requested to register through calling the hotline 1433.
Presently, there are over 100 children under the care of the state, leading solitary lives devoid of any familial love. Recognizing that isolating these children from the outside world is not an optimal solution, the ministry is tasked with facilitating their placement in families through the foster system.
Given that the existing fostering program has not yielded satisfactory outcomes, the ministry, under the new government, plans to revamp the program. The aim is to ensure that every child is placed within a family and remains under the supervision of the ministry.
Minister of Social and Family Development, Aishath Shiham, conveyed to Mihaaru News earlier that with these changes, there is renewed hope for a brighter future for these children.
Under the revised program, the ministry will create opportunities for children in foster care to experience upbringing similar to their peers.
An official from the ministry explained to 'Mihaaru' that a child is typically taken into state custody temporarily, and once the issues facing the child's family are resolved, the child is returned to their family. However, due to various circumstances, some children cannot be reunited with their families and remain in state custody for an extended period.
The overarching goal of the fostering initiative, labeled "a family for every child," is to provide an avenue for families willing to care for these children on a temporary or permanent basis.
"Many individuals express interest in fostering younger children. The state assumes responsibility for children in such circumstances until they turn eighteen. Therefore, under this program, even older children will have the opportunity to reside with foster families," the official noted.
"The ministry will invest two years in improving the conditions of the child's birth family. If these issues persist, the foster family can then pursue legal custody of the child, offering the possibility of permanent fostering."
This initiative was launched to provide a chance for permanent adoption or fostering if the child's situation does not improve within one family. In such cases, the child may be transferred to another family member or a different family.
To facilitate this process, amendments were made to the regulations governing the reintegration of children in state custody last year. These changes allow for the transfer of custody through the courts, ensuring that children previously fostered under the pre-existing regulations must undergo a legal guardianship change through the court system following the ratification of the Child Rights Protection Act.
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