Section 36 in The M.P. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2003
36. After Care Homes.
(1)After Care Homes may be set up to take care of children after they leave Special Homes and Children's Homes. These after care services shall be offered to all children/youth between the ages of 18-20 years in order to empower them and facilitate their smooth transition from institutional life into the community.(2)Objective of these homes would be to enable such children to learn life skills, which will enable them to adapt to society. During their stay in these homes these children should be encouraged to move away from an institution based life to a normal one.(3)Target groups shall include who have either left Special Homes or Children's Homes.(4)The Key components of the model may include setting up of temporary homes for a group of youth, who can be encouraged to learn a trade and contribute towards the rent as well as the running of the home. There should also be provision for a peer counselor. The counselor may be in regular contact with these youths to discuss their rehabilitation plans and provide creative outlets for their energy, to tide over crisis periods in their life.(5)The programmes under the scheme of after care programme shall include,-(a)facilitating employment generation for these youth. When a youth has saved a sufficient amount, she/he can be encouraged to stay in a place of his/her own and move out of the group home, or the youth must continue staying in the home. The youth who are learning a vocational trade could be given a stipend. This shall be stopped when the youth gets a job;(b)Loans to these youth to set up entrepreneurial activities would also be arranged;(c)Micro-credit and entrepreneurship training as well as income generation programmes should be offered;(d)Girls especially shall be encouraged to take up further education and take admission in other Government Hostels. Though they may be financially and otherwise supported in case they opt to be married, such an option shall not be the only one offered, to them as a reintegration strategy. When on discharge from the After Care Home, a youth who has absolutely no parent or guardian or mentor, youth shall be referred to appropriate recognized agencies or Non-Government Organizations for further training or apprenticeship or other such rehabilitative measure;(e)A peer counselor would also be available for youth at these homes. Since at this stage of life they can be lured into crime or drug dependence and such other habits or deviant behaviour, hence they need for a counselor;(f)As far as possible, these after care homes shall be located within the community in areas that enable the youth to come in contact with a healthy social and community life. Each home would house 6-8 youths who could opt to stay together. One peer counselor can be in-charge of a cluster of 5 homes;(g)Wherever possible, the State Government may make efforts to dovetail the After Care Home Programme with other State and Central Government Schemes that may enable the youth to take advantage of opportunities to secure a better future on his or her own.
