CUTTACK: Odisha is pioneer in juvenile justice alternative care, international and national child protection specialists, opined experts at the state level meeting on ‘Effective Implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015’, here on Saturday.
Regional Director of Hopes and Homes Asia Tesse Boudiere and Child Protection Specialist of Unicef Vandana Kandhari presented an overview of de-institutionalisation, transition and family/community based alternative care models.
The state-level stakeholders meet, organised by Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC) of Orissa High Court in collaboration with Women and Child Welfare Department and Unicef, was inaugurated by JJC chairperson Justice SK Mishra.
Speaking on the occasion, JJC member Justice Satrughana Pujahari emphasised the urgent need for paradigm shift from institutional care to family and community-based care for children in need for care and protection as well as conflict with law.
Principal Secretary of Department of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti, Anu Garg highlighted the progress made by the state.
Justice AK Rath, Justice KR Mohapatra and Justice AK Mishra were present on the occasion. In an interactive session, real life experiences were shared by a foster mother Bidyut Lata Khamari, who is taking care of a group of children, and Aliva Mahapatra whose child was de-institutionalised and re-integrated back to family.
The technical sessions focused on aftercare practices, challenges, importance of linkage with skill development mission, technical education and other opportunities for re-integration of care leavers in the society along with the experiences of young adults.
Director of Odisha Judicial Academy Gouri Shankar Satapathy and Founder and CEO of YCDA Rajendra Meher also spoke.
All judges of family courts, principal magistrates of JJ Boards, chairman and members of child welfare committees, district child protection officers, superintendents of special adoption agencies and special juvenile police also attended the meet.