Ernakulam CWC declines applications for child institutional care from financially stable parents

Kochi: Child welfare committee (CWC) in Ernakulam declined five to 10 applications in the past six months to provide institutional care for children, as parents were found financially stable. Through police investigation it was found that parents prefer to dump the children they gave birth to, under the care of govt to pursue their happiness.Of the applications rejected, some were filed by single parents as they prefer to live with another partner after divorce with the legally wedded person.“When we receive applications from parents seeking institutional care for their children, police will conduct a probe to understand their financial situation and whether their children will be safe in the house. If the financial situation is found stable and the child is safe in the house, we won’t bring the child under institutional care. Govt care is needed for children whose parents are not financially stable and in houses where children are not safe,” said CWC chairperson Ullas Madhu.He talked about a case involving a minor boy and a single parent brought to the attention of CWC lately. “We received an application from a single parent requesting to lodge their child in an institution. When we spoke to the child in front of the parent, the boy bluntly said the move is to disown him as his parent wants to move in with a new partner. The boy wants to live in the house instead of an institution. When the boy, who has a minor behavioural issue, was admitted to a care home, he stealthily left. We repatriated the boy with the mother and directed her to provide treatment. Currently the boy is in treatment and he is happy. Still, the parent wants to lodge him in a care home,” Madhu said.It was also noted that some parents who work as therapists prefer to lodge children in care homes as they pose obstructions in their daily life.“We need to resume awareness programmes regarding contraceptive measures to prevent conceiving. Many do not prefer to have children in their life. But they do not think about it during intercourse. Their unwillingness to use contraceptive measures or failure to abort the pregnancy, puts children in trouble without any fault of theirs,” Madhu said.Currently, around 500 children are lodged in 47 childcare homes in the district. Many of them return home during school vacation and return when schools reopen.