Patna: The Bihar government has announced measures to strengthen support for young adults leaving child care institutions, following a high-level meeting between the Department of Social Welfare and the Bihar Care Leavers Alliance (BCLA) in Patna on Monday. The discussion focused on easing the transition to independent life and improving access to essential services for care leavers.
The meeting was chaired by Bandana Preyashi, secretary of the social welfare department, and attended by representatives from UNICEF, the State Child Protection Society and senior officials from the Directorate of Social Welfare. Participants explored ways to build a coordinated system that would promote social reintegration and long-term self-reliance for those exiting institutional care.
Under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and the Mission Vatsalya scheme, children who leave Child Care Institutions after turning 18 are classified as care leavers. Many face immediate practical challenges once they step out, including a lack of stable housing, employment and official documentation. Several young people shared personal accounts at the meeting, describing difficulties in securing Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, ration cards and health cards — documents that are often prerequisites for education, jobs and access to government welfare schemes.
Preyashi directed departmental officials to work closely with other government agencies to streamline the documentation process and remove bureaucratic barriers. She stressed that timely access to identity papers and support services was critical to preventing care leavers from slipping through the cracks.
The secretary also encouraged the Bihar Care Leavers Alliance to register as a formal social organisation and expand its network to include more young people, promoting peer mentoring and collective support. Officials further advised care leavers to approach One Stop Centres in their districts for rehabilitation assistance and to enrol in skill development programmes run by the Women and Child Development Corporation, aimed at improving employability and financial independence.
The move signals a broader push by the state to address the often-overlooked needs of vulnerable youth, with officials saying that sustained coordination between government bodies and civil society groups will be key to ensuring that care leavers can build stable and dignified futures.
