THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “She is active and healthy. We did medical checks and she’s fine,” says one of the caretakers at the Thiruvananthapuram Ammathottil, speaking of Thumba, a four-day-old baby girl who became the 11th child to be received at the state-run child care centre since January this year.
Weighing 2.8 kilograms, Thumba was admitted on the morning of Thiruvonam day and later taken to the Women and Children Hospital in Thycaud for routine health assessment. She is among the 15 infants received so far in 2025 at Ammathottil facilities in the state. Besides the 11 children received in Thiruvananthapuram, four were received at the Alappuzha centre. Of these, nine are girls and six are boys.
The Ammathottil project is run by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare (KSCCW) and serves as a safe space for children who are orphaned, abandoned, rescued by officials, or surrendered by parents due to unavoidable social or financial circumstances.
“In most cases, the children we receive have special needs,” Saritha S W, working with the adoption unit, told TNIE. “They may require extra medical attention or long-term support. But our effort is always to find them families.”
So far this year, 52 children have been adopted through the child welfare council’s system. In Thiruvananthapuram alone, 61 children are currently under care. While the numbers vary across centres, the district has consistently recorded the highest admissions over the past few years.
Children who come in a re immediately assessed and put on active feeding schedules. “We follow a strict routine. They are fed Dexolac every two hours, 30 to 40 ml per feed through gokarna feeding,” said a caretaker.
The facilities are run on a structured staff rotation. Thiruvananthapuram had 79 caretakers working in two shifts: from 7.30am to 5.30pm and from 5pm to 8am. At any given time, 19 to 20 staff members will be present.
While the centre strives to provide the best possible care, most involved agree that institutional care is never a substitute for a family. “Pocso-related cases are more common these days,” a staff member said.
“Some children come in with trauma and need additional psychological care. Everything is provided here but, ultimately, nothing compares to a home. That’s what we try to work towards.”
Currently, there are ten functioning Ammathottil centres in the state. Districts like Kannur, Idukki, Wayanad and Palakkad do not yet have one, though proposals are under consideration.
“Due to various circumstances, some parents are unable to care for their children, leaving the little ones without support. Ammathottil steps in to receive these children with open arms, offering them the warmth and affection of motherhood,” said KSCCW general secretary G L Arungopi.