The MoWCS has designed an alternate care which is a continuum of care for responses to orphans and other vulnerable children who are at risk of being taken away from their family and community for education and employment.

Alternative care is defined as care for orphans and other vulnerable children who are not under the custody of their biological parents. It includes adoption, foster families, guardianship, kinship care, residential care and other community-based arrangements for children in need of special protection, particularly those without primary caregivers.

Joint Secretary at the ministry Radhika Aryal said the earthquake has increased the risk of children being displaced from their family as most of the affected areas have a history of children being sent away from their home either for education or employment. “Alternate care’s primary concern is to prevent a child being separated from the family and ensure that the child gets the best family environment possible. In cases where children have already been separated from their family, alternate care aims to resettle them by providing kinship care,” said Aryal.

According to him, alternate care will also go a long way in tackling child trafficking and child labour. As poverty being one of the reasons for separation of children from their family, the government has also planned to provide incentives to the poor families so that their children remain with them. The incentives include providing employment skills, finding job opportunities to family members along with providing scholarships to the children. “Single parents with very low income and those who keep the child of their relatives will also be provided incentives,” Aryal confirmed.