Section 18 in The Maharashtra Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2002
18. Establishment and recognition of After Care Homes.
(1)The after care organisation, as outlined in the Act, are to take care of juveniles or children after they leave special homes and children's homes.(2)Government may establish and maintain as many After-Care homes as may be necessary for the reception of the juveniles and children discharged from the institutions or homes for the purpose of enabling them to lead an honest industrious and useful life.(3)Where the Competent Authority is of the opinion that any institution other than an institution established under sub-rule (2) is fit for the reception of the juvenile or child to be sent there from the institution or home may be recognised as an After Care Home for the purposes of the Act.(4)The objective of these homes shall be to enable such children to adopt to the society and during their stay in these transitional homes these children will be encouraged to move away from an institution-based life to a normal one and to help the individual to make smooth adjustments to his post release environments;(5)The target groups will include juveniles or children who have either been discharged or released on probation or license from the special homes or children's homes.(6)This may includes setting up of temporary homes (not exceeding 3 years) for a group of youths, who can be encouraged to learn a trade and contribute towards the rent as well as the running of the home.(7)There shall also be provision for a counsellor, who will be in regular contact with these youths to discuss their rehabilitation plans and provide creative outlets for their energy and to tide over crisis periods in their life.(8)The programmes in the aftercare home shall include:(a)Facilitating employment generation for these youths will be a key programme.(b)After a youth has saved a sufficient amount, he can be encouraged to stay in a place of his own and move out of the group home.(c)Loans to these youth to set up entrepreneurial activities may also be arranged.(d)A counsellor shall also be made available for youth at these homes, as at this stage of life, they can be lured into crime or drug dependence and such other habits or deviant behaviour.(9)The strategy for children who have been juveniles or have left special homes shall be to help them to return to normal life and adjust and adapt to their environment.(10)There shall be provision for vocational training of these children to enable them to sustain themselves through their own efforts.(11)Before a juvenile or child is discharged from a home, as the case may be, and is sent to an After Care home, the Probation Officer or the Case Worker shall prepare a report regarding the need and nature of after-care assistance required by the juvenile or child, the period of such after care and supervision thereof.(12)The Superintendent of the after care home in which the juvenile or child is placed shall periodically submit a detailed progress report on the juvenile or child to the classification committee till the juvenile is reintegrated into the community.(13)The internal management, functions and responsibilities of the after-care home and the standards and nature of services to be maintained by it shall be regulated by the instructions as issued from time to time by the Government.
