Opening the Door to Untold Stories and New Horizons

Nurturing Strength and Purpose as a  care experienced person Being a care leaver myself, w orking with care leavers  locally and globally,  has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. The programs I have been engaged with over the last one year as a young social work professional, are designed for empowering and enabling independent living by these young people, one s  like me who have aged out of the child care system.  They offer opportunities and hope, facilitating  youth to truly unlock their potential and build their future s .   My journey so far as a social work professional working with my o wn peers has shown me both the depth of their gratitude and the different ways they experience and express it.   Support programs for care leavers offer much more than mere immediate help. They provide tools for growth—through workshops, training, and mentorship—that build skills, confidence, and lasting connections. I've seen incredibl...

“Reflections of My Journey from receiving support to now offering” Reflecting on my journey from receiving support to now offering it, I realize how much I’ve grown and how much more I hope to accomplish. My lived experience of being in care and transitioning out of it successfully has taught me the profound importance of having someone who truly understands and stands by you, at every step of your life. This understanding is the cornerstone of my work with and for care leavers, locally and globally.  As the care leavers’ engagement officer at Udayan Care, my role extends beyond simply fulfilling a job; it’s a mission to ensure that care leavers in India and abroad always feel supported and hopeful. And that I can be the ‘someone’ in their lives, whenever they need to fall back on someone they can trust.  I remember what it was like to be in need of support and wanting to explore my life and become part of a larger society. Often, I received sympathy instead of what I actually...

“Sisterhood is not about blood, it’s about the bond that ties hearts together” Growing up in a child care home in a big city, I often dreamed of living with siblings together for some time to create memories with each other, someone who would truly understand me and share love and affections with each other. I even imagined us supporting each other, learning together, and facing the world as a team. But as life unfolded, I learned that even within families bound by blood, differences in upbringing can create deep divides. My own experiences with my biological sister showed me this. While I grew up in a structured environment with access to education and mentors, my sister spent her childhood in a small, rural village, far from the life I knew. Our worlds were completely different, even though we were connected by blood. When we finally reunited as adults—something I had longed for during my years in care—I was eager to bridge the gap between us. I wanted to share my experiences and the...

जब मैं अंधेरे में खोई थी, उम्मीद की एक किरण ने मुझे ढूंढ लिया था। दूसरों के हाथों से मिला था सहारा, मन में भर गया था नया जोश और जज्बा। मैंने सीखा है देने का मंत्र, खुद को समर्पित करने का कर्म। मैं बन गई हूँ एक दीपक, अंधेरे में जगमगाने वाला। अब मैं दूसरों को संबल देती हूँ, उनके सपनों को साकार करती हूँ। एक साथ चलने का साथी, उनके जीवन में नया अध्याय। मैंने पाया है जीवन का अर्थ, दूसरों की सेवा में। मैं उड़ान भर रही हूँ, नई ऊंचाइयों को छूने में।

I am writing this for each one of us to understand and reflect on why we are failing in making arrangements for welfare of persons with different abilities to an extent and that this population also consists of youth who are care experienced as well. Are we fulfilling the needs of this population? are we really aware of those youth who are with some different abilities and on top of this, their care leaving struggle. In my article below, I am going to share my learnings and insights for the welfare of this population of youth that is highly vulnerable and need immediate interventions. I will also talk about the so-called inclusion which is apparently not there for PwDs I'm a care leaver in India, raised in a child care institution. For a long time, I felt alone in my struggles. But when I met other care leavers with disabilities, I realized we share a story. Even without a disability, care leavers face challenges getting an education and finding jobs. We lack support – from documen...

  No blood ties bind us, that much is true, But love from you, we need it too Hugs and playtime, a listening ear, As we grow, our doubts and dreams appear With challenges and obstacles our life begins That teach us skills and real life learnings We face new things, we learn and climb, But need your hand to face each climb Though not your own, we still need care, Your love and guidance, a burden we'll share With open hearts and a watchful eye, We'll reach for success, support us to fly No walls of sadness will hold us down, Your love and strength will make us whole Exploring dreams, big and bold, A family story, yet to be told One day we'll be a family strong, Love will bind us, where we will belong.

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...