'Happy family' for orphans

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Probation and Child Care Services Department will reunite 25 per cent of children living in children's homes with their families.

Around 19,000 to 20,000 children are with State and private children's homes and 25 per cent of them can be easily re-united with their families, Probation and Child Care Commissioner Sarath Abeygunawardana said. Abeygunawardana told the Daily News that the Department will give priority to two main areas this year; reunification of institutionalised children and de-institutionalisation of children in children's homes. Under reunification of children, arrangements have been made to coordinate with provincial bodies to identify children who can be easily reunited with their families.

Under the second program, arrangements will be made to minimise institutionalisation of children. Children are institutionalised without seeking any alternatives. A community based connection system will be used to minimise children from being institutionalised, he said. According to the law, a child can stay at a children's home for three years but most go on till they turn 18.

"This is because there is no proper system to reconnect them with their families and society", Abeygunawardana said.

The Department has set up several children's councils and children's clubs countrywide to promote child rights.

The main objective is to increase the participation of children. "But what is required is a drastic change in attitudes of State officials engaged in child welfare", he added.