Driven by abject poverty, Rahul* and Rohan*’s parents were compelled to leave their two sons in the care and custody of a child care institution (CCIs). Rahul and Rohan have spent six years of their lives in institutional care. When the whole country went into lockdown last year in March amidst the pandemic, the state government ordered CCIs to re-integrate children with their respective families - biological parents, single parents, and even the kin - in an effort to control the spread of the disease. Rahul and Rohan were ecstatic to return to their family soon. They had both recently appeared for their class 12 exams and were awaiting results.

While the children returned home, Miracle Foundation’s prime focus was to ensure the proper process of case management and re-integration was followed for each child.

We immediately began the remote assessments with the CCI on their case. Simultaneously, we worked with the family to see that the children settled down with adequate resources - all in the best interest of the child. Miracle Foundation also extended financial support to the family along with food and relief kits. We made cash transfers for hundreds of families like Rahul and Rohan’s to ensure the children and their families were taken care of.

The process of reintegration varies from child to child and family to family. While we assess each family on the Thrive Scale, we identify gaps in the five wellbeing domains where we can extend support so that the family is strengthened and the children can be sustained in family-based care. In the case of the two siblings, the gaps were identified in their living conditions and access to education. The family’s home was in a submergence area - making it difficult for them to rebuild it and prevent water from seeping in Miracle Foundation's on-ground team connected them with the local housing scheme. Under which, they received the first installment of the compensation and were allocated another block of land to re-allocate. Over the months, they received the rest of the installments as well.

Miracle also extended support for the college education and accommodation of the brothers. They also continue to receive care from Miracle Foundation, in a safe and supported family environment. Like the two brothers, there are many children in India who give up their dreams due to a lack of financial support. Some even though they are academically brilliant are forced to give up their dreams or drop out midway through their education, and find odd jobs to supplement their existence. Let’s get together in this to extend support to as many children from disadvantaged communities as possible as each child deserves a family.