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Panaji: NGO Can Now Inspect Records of Foster Care Children in Goa
- Wed, May 18 2011 09:06:55 AM
Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, May 18: Bombay High Court at Goa has asked a child welfare organization to inspect the records of Child Welfare Committees after the organization raised concerns about the children given for foster care in the state.
A Non Government Organisation, Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), had petitioned the High Court pleading that the process of foster care is tattered with several loopholes which puts the life of a child to the risk.
Delivering interim judgement, the High Court said that SCAN is allowed to inspect records of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), a government run agency which deals with matters concerning children in need of care and protection.
SCAN had moved to the court pleading that goa government should cross check the whereabouts of the children given for foster care. The NGO had also said that the proper rules were not followed by the government while lending children for care.
The bench, hearing the petition, last week, said that `the Court can issue directions only after the petitioner satisfies it that the children have not been rehabilitated by placing them under foster care or otherwise nor they are repatriated.
The petition stems from the disappearance of 14-year-old boy, who went on missing on April 1.
SCAN’s legal representative Emidio Pinho had alleged that the state was violating the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2000 ‘which makes it mandatory that children belonging from the same state be handed over to foster parents for care and protection.’