Family based care as an alternative care option

The Family Based Care (FBC) program by SOS Children's Villages of India is a curative alternative care model for children who have lost parental care. The program is based on the principles of necessity and appropriateness under the UNCRC and is supported by four pillars; the mother, brothers and sisters, the home and the community. The non-biological mother is responsible for a smaller group of children, thus ensuring development and implementation of their individual care plans. Brothers and sisters create a safety net through mentoring, protecting and supporting. The family takes collective decisions which allow every child in the family to participate in the decision-making process. FBC is a time tested successful approach as it involves these multiple layers of social security along with adequate checks and balances. Under FBC, children are raised in a family/family-like environment and are better prepared to be responsible and mainstreamed adults, not only economically but also emotionally and socially. According to a UNICEF report (2003), Asia has the highest number of parentless children, at 87.6 million. Therefore, it is our individual and collective responsibility to find ways to ensure that they receive equal opportunities and a chance to realise their own potential by being raised in a raised in a family/family-like environment.