The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Ernakulam, Kerala, has declined between five and ten applications over the past six months for providing institutional care to children, after discovering that the parents were financially stable. Police investigations revealed that some parents prefer to relinquish their children to government care in order to pursue their own happiness.
Reasons Behind Rejected Applications
Among the rejected applications, several were filed by single parents who wished to live with a new partner after divorce. The CWC chairperson, Ullas Madhu, explained the committee's procedure: 'When we receive applications from parents seeking institutional care for their children, police conduct a probe to understand their financial situation and whether the children will be safe at home. If the financial situation is stable and the child is safe, we will not bring the child under institutional care. Government care is needed only for children whose parents are not financially stable or where the home environment is unsafe.'
A Case of a Minor Boy
Madhu cited a recent case involving a minor boy and a single parent. '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 was to disown him because his parent wanted to move in with a new partner. The boy expressed a desire to live at home rather than in an institution. When the boy, who has a minor behavioral 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 undergoing treatment and is happy. Still, the parent wants to lodge him in a care home,' Madhu said.
Other Observations
It was also noted that some parents who work as therapists prefer to lodge their children in care homes because the children pose obstructions in their daily lives. Madhu emphasized the need for awareness programs regarding contraceptive measures to prevent unintended pregnancies. 'Many do not prefer to have children in their lives, 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,' he added.
Current Statistics
Currently, around 500 children are lodged in 47 childcare homes in the district. Many of them return home during school vacations and come back when schools reopen.
