Centre clarifies children aged below six not eligible for foster care placement

NEW DELHI, Sept 24: The Government has clarified that children aged below six are not eligible for placement in foster care, following concerns over differing interpretations of the new regulations. In an office memorandum issued last week, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) pointed to Rule 23(3) of the Juvenile Justice Rules and point 4(1) of the Model Foster Care Guidelines, which states that only children aged six years and above are eligible for placement in foster care, under circumstances defined in Rule 44 of the Act. The statutory body noted that some agencies had raised issues regarding the interpretation of the regulations, prompting the clarification. “Therefore, it is reiterated that no child who is less than six years of age shall be placed under Foster Care