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| Sunday, 27 March 2005 |
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Editorial
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Dept on look out for guardians by Chamitha Kuruppu The Probation and Child Care Department is in the process of identifying 'suitable relatives' to appoint as guardians of children who have lost their parents from tidal waves. The department, which receives a large number of requests for adoption says priority will be given only to the members of the extended family to take responsibility of children. According to Probation and Child care Services Department Commissioner Sarath Abeygunawardena, the department is studying requests made by relatives of 184 children from Southern Province and 250 children from Northeast at present. Probation Officers in relevant judicial area will conduct a comprehensive study about each and every child who has lost parents in the tsunami disaster. If we are unable to appoint a relative as the guardian, measures will be taken to look after such children in the probation houses that come under the department, he said. The department has taken over the custody of 16 children from Southern Province and 10 children from Northeast who are in probation houses at present. According to the Commissioner, a selected number of children already receive financial support under the Sevena Sarana Foster Parent Scheme on a monthly basis for educational purposes. Around 125 children without parents receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 500 - Rs. 1000 for academic purposes. However, the department is yet to complete the island wide study commenced three months ago about the children who lost their parents from the tsunami. "Over 95 percent of the study is completed and by the end of this month we will be able to finish the study completely," Abeygunawardena said. According to the department a total number of 1,044 children have lost
both parents and 3500 have lost one parent. The highest numbers of
statistics are reported from Northeast with 740 children losing both parents
and 2121 children losing one parent. In Southern Province 249 children have
lost both parents and 1243 children have lost one parent. At least 42
children have lost both parents and 64 children have lost one parent in
Western Province. |
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Editorial | Security | Produced by Lake House |
