Bihar Govt Holds Key Meeting with Care Leavers to Strengthen Rehabilitation and Self-Reliance

A crucial meeting was held today under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Ms. Bandana Preyashi, with the Bihar Care Leavers Alliance (BCLA). The objective of the meeting was to strengthen the support system for the holistic development, social reintegration, and empowerment of care leavers, enabling them to build a self-reliant future. Representatives from UNICEF, the State Child Protection Committee, and officials from the Social Welfare Directorate were also present.

Care leavers are defined as children residing in child care institutions under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and the Mission Vatsalya scheme, who leave these institutions after turning 18 to live independently.

The care leavers present at the meeting came forward and shared detailed accounts of their lives, highlighting the various obstacles and challenges they face in living independently after leaving the institutions. They explained the difficulties they encounter in obtaining essential legal documents such as Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, ration cards, and health cards, which makes accessing education, employment, and government schemes challenging.

In this regard, the Secretary, Social Welfare Department, instructed the concerned departmental officials to coordinate with the relevant departments and simplify and streamline the process of obtaining documents and other necessary assistance for care leavers.

The Secretary, Social Welfare Department, encouraged the care leavers, motivating them to lead dignified and self-reliant lives. She also advised BCLA to register as a social organization and encouraged all care leavers to join the organization and support each other through peer group mentoring.

The Secretary also directed that in case of any problems related to social rehabilitation, care leavers should contact the One Stop Centers operating in their respective districts. She further instructed that they be connected with various skill development programs run by the Women and Child Development Corporation, so that they can move forward confidently on the path of education, employment, and self-reliance.