ARE CARE LEAVERS PREPARED TO LEAVE THE CARE AT THE AGE OF 18?
In India, the Juvenile Justice Act was enacted in 2015, under which, children in need of care and protection can stay in any form of care system till the age of 18 years. The Act also states that any child leaving a Child Care Institution (CCI) on completion of 18 years age ‘may be provided with financial support in order to facilitate child’s reintegration into the mainstream of the society in the manner as may be prescribed’ for three years by placing the children in aftercare. Here, a care leaver is an adult who as a child, experienced care in a formal or informal alternative care system, and were legally compelled to exit their care setting on attaining the age of 18. For them, leaving a care home to live on their own for the first time, the experience can be a bit overwhelming and it can be more challenging for those care leavers who don’t have any support and family system. But in India only few aftercare programs are being run to support care leavers with accomm...