27 february 2020
deccan gymkhana, pune
Immersive Simulation Lab: Transition to family-based care in India
Snehalaya and Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights requests your esteemed presence to join a very select group of high-level and key stakeholders in developing and delivering family-based care in Maharashtra, by attending and sharing your valuable expertise in a first of its kind, one-day simulation lab.
About the conference
Wherever possible, and when in the best interests of the individual child, the Maharashtra State Guidelines for the Integrated Program of Non-Institutional Family-Based Services for Child Protection (released 19 June 2019) prioritise the retention or reunification of children within their families.
It’s a sad fact that many children living in care actually have living family and that the main reason for children being placed in care is due to poverty or health-related issues. Effective family strengthening will not only prevent further children from being placed in care but, when safe to do so, will also help reintegrate those currently living in care back into their families.
To effectively deliver family-based care, Rs 2,000 is available to families via district-level DCPUs, following approval by the SFCAC. However there is also a mandate to connect families with existing services and funding available to help them.
The objective of this one-day conference is to identify and connect the leaders responsible for the relevant support schemes able to deliver family strengthening services. Delegates will receive an introduction to family-based care, including the roles of each stakeholder, and an overview of Snehalaya’s progress in creating a model for an empanelled NGO working at district level. Through an activity-based program and the sharing of case studies with representative NGOs, delegates will work then together to create streamlined and comprehensive family strengthening support solutions.
Through this simulation lab, top level decision makers and influencers will be bringing their expertise to the table, working on real-life scenarios to co-create the way forward. By working together they will better understand how they can develop greater holistic services while gaining unique and relevant insights into the strengths, gaps and barriers to delivering family-strengthening support to those implementing family-based care in Maharashtra.
The results and findings of the day will be reported back to delegates and submitted to a scholarly journal for consideration.
hosts
pravin ghuge,
chair,
Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights
ian anand
forber-pratt,
Director of Global Advocacy, Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI)
girish kulkarni,
founder,
Snehalaya, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
Pravin has been Chair of the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights since 2017, and is committed to ensuring every child's right to live in a family environment. He has taken a keen interest in the work of Snehalaya in this area and was very happy to partner with us in today's event and we are grateful to his support in ensuring your attendance and participation in this vital work.
Ian has authored many of the guidelines currently shaping FBC in India and has experience and expertise in global family-based practices:
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Drafting Guidelines: Central, States, UTs, including Maharashtra State Guidelines Drafting Committee
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Counsellor for the Centralised Adoption Resource Authority (CARA)
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Professional Support, National Resource Centre on Foster Care, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi
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Alternative Care Movement - Sri Lanka
Our founder, Girish established Snehalaya in 1989 by approaching sex workers in one of Ahmednagar’s red-light areas. He started out by taking two children to a local park each day, building the trust of the community by educating and keeping their children safe. As a result, today there are no second-generation or underage sex workers in our entire district and our projects remain firmly rooted in preventing the exploitation of women and children.
Girish is a trained journalist and professor with S.P Pune University, he has a doctorate in Political Science and Public Management, and masters in Politics and Sociology,
program
8.30am
Registration
9.15am
Setting the tone for the day: Mr. Ian Forber-Pratt, Director of Global Advocacy, CERI
9.45am
Chief Guest inauguration
10.15am
Snehalaya’s report on the current transition to family-based care
11.00am
CASE STUDY - Laying out the scenario and getting to work
8.30am
Registration
8.30am
11.15am
LAB WORK
1.20pm
IMMERSIVE LAB - table presentations
2.00pm
LUNCH
3.00pm
IMMERSIVE LAB - table presentations
3.45pm
Documentation of lessons learned
4.30pm
Panel Discussion
5.15pm
Vote of Thanks
about snehalaya
Snehalaya believes that every woman and child should have the right to a life free from inequality, cruelty and discrimination. To date we have supported 200,000 beneficiaries through 22 rehabilitation, health and education and awareness-raising projects. Our flagship rehabilitation center shelters over 200 children, 70 women and 30 girls and 30 boys over 18.
With over 30 years’ experience in caring for children from a range of backgrounds we have an established reputation for providing support to some of the most marginalized communities. We are fully committed to extending our current childcare provision to introduce more family-based care options to our current and future beneficiaries to ensure their full development.
We have the experience and expertise to develop a portfolio of family-based care options in the best interests of our children’s individual needs. We also aim to provide support for family-strengthening and placement of children with foster parents and in group foster homes, supported and monitored through a community care center, to reduce the number of children living in our childcare institution.
As an advocate for child rights, we have been instrumental in forming Ahmendagar District’s Sponsorship and Foster Care Approval Committee (SFCAC) and aim to become the empanelled NGO to act as a district-level, one-stop-shop for family support and funding. By documenting how
we are leading and implementing changes at a district level we are creating a replicable model which will be shared at state and national levels.
Read more about Snehalaya's Family-Based Care project.
Contact: fbc@snehalaya.org
sponsor
A heartfelt thank you to Sakal Social Foundation, registered office: 595 Budhwar Peth, Pune 411002, for the sponsorship of the venue and food for this event.
partners
Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI) has a significant footprint across South Asia and is an active advocate for family-based services in India and Sri Lanka. We are sincerely grateful to them for providing Snehalaya with technical guidance and support to manage the conference and our transition to family-based care.
Why Family-Based Solutions is dedicated to putting an end to the institutionalisation of children, to making sure that all vulnerable children receive the care and protection they need in a family-based setting and to make sure that children are not separated from their own families – or are reintegrated if they have already been separated – unless it is in their best interest, for children all over the world. Founder Florence is a regular visitor to our projects and has played a key role in our movement towards family-based care and continues to drive our transition with practical support and advice.
