Expressnews
Chennai, April 2025: SOS Children’s Villages India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Child Welfare & Special Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, to implement Foster Care, a Non-Institutional Care Program for children in need of care and protection.
The Foster Care Programme of SOS Children’s Villages India provides quality, holistic care to children who cannot live with their biological families. Through a certified foster family model, we ensure that children grow up in a safe, loving, and nurturing environment that supports their holistic development.
The MoU was signed by Thiru. Johny Tom Varghese, I.A.S., Director, Department of Child Welfare & Special Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, and Mr. Sumanta Kumar Kar, CEO, SOS Children’s Villages India, marking a strategic collaboration to strengthen alternative care solutions in the state.
Mr. Sumanta Kumar Kar, CEO, SOS Children’s Villages India, said, “Every child deserves the warmth and security of a family. This collaboration with the Government of Tamil Nadu is a significant step towards promoting non-institutional care programmes. By focusing on foster care, we are not just providing children with homes, but also enabling them to grow in a nurturing family environment with strong emotional and social support. We are proud to partner in this transformative initiative, ensuring that vulnerable children receive the care and opportunities they deserve.”
The initiative will initially be rolled out in six districts of Tamil Nadu – Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai, providing holistic development to 60 children and empowering their foster caregivers in the first phase. The programme will focus on capacity-building for caregivers, structured mentorship, and adherence to child protection guidelines under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
As part of this partnership, SOS Children’s Villages India will provide technical expertise, training, and mentoring support, while theGovernment of Tamil Nadu will oversee implementation through District Child Protection Units (DCPUs). The collaboration reinforces a shared commitment to ensuring long-term rehabilitation and holistic development for children in need of care and protection.
Thiru. Johny Tom Varghese, I.A.S., Director, Department of Child Welfare & Special Services, Government of Tamil Nadu said, ” All the Children are equal irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, or religious affiliation. Children are the most valuable gift to humanity and Childhood is an important and impressionable stage of human development as it holds the potential to the future development of any Society. The State of Tamil Nadu is committed to provide best possible opportunities for children to develop their intellectual, physical and social health in a safe environment free from violence, exploitation, neglect, deprivation and discrimination. As the needs and wants of children are complex, the policies and programmes are designed to address the issues and concerns of a child as an individual rather a common general programme. Through this partnership, we aim to create sustainable solutions that uphold every child’s right to grow up in a safe and caring home.”
Through this initiative, SOS Children’s Villages India continues to expand its impact by strengthening community-based childcare interventions, aligning with national and global best practices in child welfare.
