“Every child deserves not just food, shelter, and education — but a family that loves them.”
This simple yet powerful belief has guided my journey in the child protection ecosystem for over seven years. Working with Miracle Foundation India, I have seen this belief transform lives, communities, and ecosystems.
The Shift: From Institutional Care to Family-Based Care
When I began my journey with Miracle Foundation India in 2019, institutional care was still viewed as the widely accepted option for children separated from their families in the state. While well-intentioned, institutions cannot replace the warmth, care, and lifelong bond of a family. Although the core Child Protection Functionaries—including the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Child Care Institutions (CCI), and the child helpline team were always dedicated to their mission and worked in alignment towards the welfare of children, it took a few years of persistent sensitization and collaboration to bring about a significant shift in mindset that a family setting is truly the most nurturing environment for a child’s holistic growth and well-being. Their ongoing commitment and openness to learning ultimately strengthened their capacity to prioritize family-based care and support, creating better outcomes for children in need.
Since 2019, in collaboration with the State Child Protection Society and UNICEF, Miracle Foundation India has been working under a partnership to promote Family Strengthening (FS) and Family-Based Alternative Care (F-BAC). As part of this effort, steps were taken to build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of key stakeholders—including the DCPU, CWC, and others from the child protection system towards FS and F-BAC. This has helped support the move away from placing children in CCIs toward preparing families and communities to receive them back home with care, dignity, and long-term support.
A Story of Family Strengthening from Chatra, Jharkhand
Our focus on practical interventions and sustainable solutions comes to life in stories like Soni’s (name changed).
Pre-Intervention Situation
Soni, a 13-year-old girl from a small village in Chatra district, lived with her parents and three elder brothers. After tragically losing their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, the siblings struggled to survive. With reduced ration supplies and mounting hardships, all three brothers took up daily wage labor to meet basic needs. The family faced frequent food scarcity, and Soni had to drop out of school. One brother also began struggling with a drinking problem. Their depleted resources left Soni at imminent risk of being placed in institutional care, as her brothers struggled to keep her at home and in school.
Interventions Made
Once the case was referred to Childline by the Child Welfare Committee, a Childline worker visited the family and assessed their needs. With the support of the village Mukhiya and Gram Panchayat, the family received essential rations. Soni was enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, where she now receives free education and is studying in Class VIII. Additionally, her brothers were linked to skill development training programs offered by Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), equipping them with practical skills for better employment prospects, and they are currently engaged with it. Childline has also helped the family apply for the PM Awas Yojana, which is in the process.
This is just one of hundreds of transitions we are facilitating. Each child who is reunited with family, or prevented from entering institutional care, reaffirms our deepest belief: families are not the problem—they are the solution. By strengthening families and building foundational skills, we’re supporting children and their siblings to look forward to a more secure and hopeful tomorrow.
The efforts and initiatives we’ve undertaken reflect our deep commitment to listening, adapting, and working alongside families and communities. These efforts aim to create sustainable, child-centered solutions that honor dignity and nurture resilience.
- Collaboration with Government Systems
Aligning with Mission Vatsalya, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 provisions, and district-level child protection structures is not optional — it’s essential. Our strong partnerships with DCPUs, CWCs, and CCIs ensure that change is systemic and sustainable. We are also building a strong convergence platform to discuss cases and support families and children across all indicators.
- Five Well-Being Domains
Using Miracle Foundation India’s Family Strengthening framework based on the rights of the child described in the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child guidelines, we focus on five well-being domains to ensure all-around sustainability of a family, which include:
- Family and Social Relationships
- Health and Mental Health
- Education
- Living Conditions
- Household Economy
We conduct joint family visits (teams consisting of government officials and Civil Society Organizations (CSO)) and create Family Development Plans to ensure the child’s long-term safety and well-being, always keeping in mind that child safety and confidentiality must not be compromised.
- Building Local Champions
We have trained over 1,000 child protection functionaries across the state, including DCPU, CWC, Juvenile Justice Board, CCI staff teams, and CSO partners. We have developed a pool of master trainers (from the DCPU teams) to lead this change locally. Their commitment and capacity are the driving force behind our mission in the state.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening the Roots
While the transition to family-based care is underway, we must now invest more deeply in family strengthening, which includes addressing poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health to prevent separation in the first place. Families don’t break apart easily; it happens when they run out of options.
Inspiration for Our Collective Movement
To my colleagues, partners, and friends in this movement: the path is not always easy. But every child reunited, every caregiver empowered, every CWC sensitized — is a victory for humanity and a step toward improving children’s lives. Let us continue to build a child protection ecosystem that believes in children’s rights, supports families, and transforms institutions into last resorts — not default solutions.
“Together, we’re not just changing policies or practices — we’re changing lives.”
Author: Amrendra Kumar Singh, State Head- Jharkhand, Miracle Foundation India
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of Miracle Foundation India.