About the Programme

“Children thrive best in safe and nurturing families, but a prerequisite for this is that families and communities are adequately supported and followed through.” -FiT Project Community Ambassador

Program Overview

The FiT Families Together project addresses the critical need for a secure and functional family environment as the cornerstone for the rights and optimal development of children. Currently, over 95,781 children find themselves in Child Care Institutions (CCIs), with many more at risk of facing similar situations. The absence of effective family-strengthening programs and limited family-based care options often forces these children into residential homes or CCIs.

Policy Context

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court's directive to create space in overcrowded CCIs resulted in the return and reintegration of about 1,45,788 out of 2,27,518 children to their families. Unfortunately, follow-up efforts by the district child protection units in ensuring proper rehabilitation and reintegration were found to be negligible, especially in one district of Delhi.

India's National Policy for Children 2013 emphasises the right of children to grow within a family environment, supported by a robust Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 that prioritises the family as the best place for children to thrive. Strong emphasis on the family as the optimal environment for a child's well-being. The law is grounded in the principle of the best interest of the child and advocates for family-based care over institutional alternatives. It actively promotes the formation of Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards to handle cases involving children, with one of the prime focus areas on involving families and communities in the rehabilitation process. However, the implementation of these policies on the ground has been lacking.

Impact of COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court's directive to create space in overcrowded CCIs resulted in the return and reintegration of about 1,45,788 out of 2,27,518 children to their families. Unfortunately, follow-up efforts by the district child protection units in ensuring proper rehabilitation and reintegration were found to be negligible, especially in one district of Delhi.

FiT Families Together Initiative

In response, Udayan Care initiated the "FiT Families Together" project following a meeting with the Department of Women and Child Development, Delhi, on October 21, 2021. With an order from WCD to the concerned Child Welfare Committee (CWC) South and District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) South, cooperation and support were sought to identify and provide a list of 60-70 children aged 6-18 years who were restored from CCIs during COVID-19.The primary objective of the project was the reintegration of the referred children (from 31 families) in one district of Delhi, focusing on eight domains of the 'Circle of Care and Protection.' After a year of intervention, considering the dismal conditions in other families, a prevention approach has been added to the project. This aims to prevent children who might be at risk from any form of separation from their families.

The FiT Families Together project endeavours to address the systemic challenges in family-based care, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and seeks to create a more robust and supportive environment for vulnerable children and their families.

Targeted Beneficiaries

Cases of restoration where the child is transitioning away from institutional care and needs to be reintegrated with families (Child Welfare Committee order of restoration is documented)

Community Based Survey (tools indigenously developed) to understand and identify families where children are at risk of separation and preventive measures are needed

Cases referred by Child Welfare Committee for follow ups and directions on rehabilitation and reintegration

Vision & Mission
Vision: All children thrive in safe and nurturing families
Mission: Enable all children to remain in families as best place to thrive and showcase a demonstrable model for replication and possible adoption by central/state government and other organizations

Objectives
•    Build evidence and advocate that families are the best place for children to thrive in 
•    Enable families and communities to become FiT by reaching their full potential, reducing family risk factors and ensuring children’s positive development
•    Ensure families and children have access to essential services; support families to protect and care for their children
•    Strengthen the existing government and community based support systems for vulnerable children and their families within the
•    community families at risk of separation and those who have had their children reintegrated and need support to stay together

Domains

Initially, the project addressed eight domains during its first year. After conducting a comprehensive literature review, incorporating in-field learnings, and drawing from 30 years of organisational experience, two additional domains have been added. The project now works extensively across ten domains, forming the Circle of Care and Protection, to ensure the holistic development and resilience of children and strengthen the family unit. These domains encompass a wide range of factors crucial for successful family-based care, emphasising a comprehensive and sustainable approach to prevent the risk of child separation and support families in their journey towards stability and well-being.