News & Announcement
State Consultation on Aftercare Practices Highlights Holistic Support for Care Leavers in Gangtok
Gangtok, December 06 (IPR): The second day of the two-day programme on ‘State Consultation on Learning and Sharing of Aftercare Practices in India’, organised by the Women, Child, Senior Citizens and Divyangjan Welfare Department in collaboration with UNICEF India, was held at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok, today.
The programme was graced by Chief Secretary, Mr R Telang, Secretary, Planning and Development Department, Mr MT Sherpa, Press Secretary to HCM, Mr Yougan Tamang, District Collectors and SDM from various districts of the state.
In his address, the Chief Secretary highlighted the need for a holistic and sensitive approach towards children residing in Child Care Institutions, particularly those transitioning out of institutional care. Stressing the emotional challenges faced by care leavers, he underlined the importance of ensuring continuous emotional, social and practical support during this transition.
He advocated for strengthening peer networks and support systems centered around care leavers themselves, noting that individuals who have undergone similar experiences are best placed to guide and support others. He emphasised that empowering care leavers and placing them at the centre of aftercare ecosystems would enable more responsive, sustainable and effective interventions.
He stressed that the social sector demands sensitivity and a human centric mindset, unlike other administrative domains, and appreciated the commitment of officers working in this field while underscoring the need for continuous improvement.
Mr Yougan Tamang, in his address, acknowledged the Chief Minister Mr Prem Singh Tamang as a compassionate and people centric leader who consistently supports the aspirations of citizens across sectors, including education, employment, entrepreneurship and sports. He stated that the Chief Minister’s leadership extends beyond governance, reflecting empathy and a strong commitment to social development and inclusive growth.
Joint Director, Women and Child Development Department, Government of Chhattisgarh, Mr Nandalal Chaudhary delivered a presentation on aftercare in Chhattisgarh, focusing on the continuation of care and the reintegration of children ageing out of Child Care Institutions (CCIs).
He highlighted several innovative initiatives implemented under Mission Vatsalya, structured around the 6U’s,
Ullas:
An annual state-level cultural programme for Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) residing in CCIs, featuring activities in art, culture and sports, with awards presented to outstanding performers.
Ummid:
To inspire hope through education, e-learning platforms have been established in CCIs. Study materials from Classes IV to XII, including IIT and NEET preparation, are provided in partnership with BYJU’S and HDFC under CSR support.
Ujiyar:
Creative and behavioural engagement activities are conducted for Children in Conflict with Law (CICL) and CCI staff to promote positive behaviour and create a supportive and conducive learning environment.
Udbhav:
A recently launched programme aimed at the holistic development of children in institutional care and aftercare, providing support in education, healthcare, life skills, career guidance and continued handholding for smooth reintegration into mainstream society.
Ummang:
With technical support from UNICEF and CEAC as the implementing partner, the foster care programme ‘UMMANG’ has been successfully rolled out in the State.
Uday:
A programme focused on preparing youth for independent living through life-skills training, vocational education, career counselling and financial literacy, ensuring a confident and self-reliant transition to adulthood.
During the programme, Mr Prabhat Kumar conducted a session focused on strengthening coordinated responses for adolescent and youth development, wherein officials from various departments outlined the key provisions of the guidelines and elaborated on their roles in effective implementation.
District Collector, Namchi, Ms Anupa Tamling, highlighted the Mission for Adolescent & Youth Advancement (MAYA), a coordinated, child-centric intervention aimed at identifying, preventing and addressing school dropout. She explained that the mission delivers holistic and tailored support for rehabilitation and reintegration, strengthens stakeholder accountability, and creates sustainable education and skilling pathways for vulnerable adolescents through robust inter departmental collaboration.
Additional Secretary, Skill Development Department, Mr Samdup Bhutia, outlined the State’s efforts to enhance employability and livelihood opportunities for adolescents and youth through demand driven skilling programmes, vocational training and industry linked courses. He emphasised the alignment of skills with market demands, promotion of entrepreneurship, and creation of sustainable employment pathways, particularly for care leavers and other vulnerable groups, through departmental convergence and partnerships.
At the outset, Director (Advocacy, Research and Training), Udayan Care, Ms Leena Prasad, highlighted the organisation’s core focus on family strengthening, emphasising that all its programmes, including child protection and alternative care, education, skilling and employability, are designed to enable children and youth to thrive within strong and supportive families.
Representatives from Aide et Action, Ms Nupur Pande and Mr Pranab Panging, also spoke on aftercare and alternative care practices, sharing field-based experiences and emphasising the need for structured transition planning and sustained support for care leavers.
Similarly, caregivers Mr Girish Mehta and Mr Rajkumar Sharma highlighted the importance of stable caregiving, emotional connection and life skills support in enabling children to transition towards independent and dignified living.
The vote of thanks was proposed by, Joint Secretary, Women, Child, Senior Citizens and Divyangjan Welfare Department, Ms Manisha Cintury.
The programme was graced by Chief Secretary, Mr R Telang, Secretary, Planning and Development Department, Mr MT Sherpa, Press Secretary to HCM, Mr Yougan Tamang, District Collectors and SDM from various districts of the state.
In his address, the Chief Secretary highlighted the need for a holistic and sensitive approach towards children residing in Child Care Institutions, particularly those transitioning out of institutional care. Stressing the emotional challenges faced by care leavers, he underlined the importance of ensuring continuous emotional, social and practical support during this transition.
He advocated for strengthening peer networks and support systems centered around care leavers themselves, noting that individuals who have undergone similar experiences are best placed to guide and support others. He emphasised that empowering care leavers and placing them at the centre of aftercare ecosystems would enable more responsive, sustainable and effective interventions.
He stressed that the social sector demands sensitivity and a human centric mindset, unlike other administrative domains, and appreciated the commitment of officers working in this field while underscoring the need for continuous improvement.
Mr Yougan Tamang, in his address, acknowledged the Chief Minister Mr Prem Singh Tamang as a compassionate and people centric leader who consistently supports the aspirations of citizens across sectors, including education, employment, entrepreneurship and sports. He stated that the Chief Minister’s leadership extends beyond governance, reflecting empathy and a strong commitment to social development and inclusive growth.
Joint Director, Women and Child Development Department, Government of Chhattisgarh, Mr Nandalal Chaudhary delivered a presentation on aftercare in Chhattisgarh, focusing on the continuation of care and the reintegration of children ageing out of Child Care Institutions (CCIs).
He highlighted several innovative initiatives implemented under Mission Vatsalya, structured around the 6U’s,
Ullas:
An annual state-level cultural programme for Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) residing in CCIs, featuring activities in art, culture and sports, with awards presented to outstanding performers.
Ummid:
To inspire hope through education, e-learning platforms have been established in CCIs. Study materials from Classes IV to XII, including IIT and NEET preparation, are provided in partnership with BYJU’S and HDFC under CSR support.
Ujiyar:
Creative and behavioural engagement activities are conducted for Children in Conflict with Law (CICL) and CCI staff to promote positive behaviour and create a supportive and conducive learning environment.
Udbhav:
A recently launched programme aimed at the holistic development of children in institutional care and aftercare, providing support in education, healthcare, life skills, career guidance and continued handholding for smooth reintegration into mainstream society.
Ummang:
With technical support from UNICEF and CEAC as the implementing partner, the foster care programme ‘UMMANG’ has been successfully rolled out in the State.
Uday:
A programme focused on preparing youth for independent living through life-skills training, vocational education, career counselling and financial literacy, ensuring a confident and self-reliant transition to adulthood.
During the programme, Mr Prabhat Kumar conducted a session focused on strengthening coordinated responses for adolescent and youth development, wherein officials from various departments outlined the key provisions of the guidelines and elaborated on their roles in effective implementation.
District Collector, Namchi, Ms Anupa Tamling, highlighted the Mission for Adolescent & Youth Advancement (MAYA), a coordinated, child-centric intervention aimed at identifying, preventing and addressing school dropout. She explained that the mission delivers holistic and tailored support for rehabilitation and reintegration, strengthens stakeholder accountability, and creates sustainable education and skilling pathways for vulnerable adolescents through robust inter departmental collaboration.
Additional Secretary, Skill Development Department, Mr Samdup Bhutia, outlined the State’s efforts to enhance employability and livelihood opportunities for adolescents and youth through demand driven skilling programmes, vocational training and industry linked courses. He emphasised the alignment of skills with market demands, promotion of entrepreneurship, and creation of sustainable employment pathways, particularly for care leavers and other vulnerable groups, through departmental convergence and partnerships.
At the outset, Director (Advocacy, Research and Training), Udayan Care, Ms Leena Prasad, highlighted the organisation’s core focus on family strengthening, emphasising that all its programmes, including child protection and alternative care, education, skilling and employability, are designed to enable children and youth to thrive within strong and supportive families.
Representatives from Aide et Action, Ms Nupur Pande and Mr Pranab Panging, also spoke on aftercare and alternative care practices, sharing field-based experiences and emphasising the need for structured transition planning and sustained support for care leavers.
Similarly, caregivers Mr Girish Mehta and Mr Rajkumar Sharma highlighted the importance of stable caregiving, emotional connection and life skills support in enabling children to transition towards independent and dignified living.
The vote of thanks was proposed by, Joint Secretary, Women, Child, Senior Citizens and Divyangjan Welfare Department, Ms Manisha Cintury.
