By Muhammad Mukhtar Ibrahim:
Bauchi State Ministry of Women Affairs, Child Development and Social Welfare in Collaboration with UNICEF Bauchi Field Office has developed a guideline for alternative care to children in Bauchi State.
Speaking at a 3 day sensitization meeting with the committee members in Bauchi, Nuru Saleh the child protection officer UNICEF Bauchi Field office, said the aim of the meeting is to provide a holistic framework of Alternative care of Children which articulates standard and guidance inline with the child protection law.
He also said the committee members are drowned from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies that have a stake in child protection which according to him will embrace approaches that guides the principle
Nura Sale said adoption or fostering are the key approaches of alternative care that is agreed at the National guideline as such, the members should use the forum to play their part in ensuring the full implementation of the framework.
On his part, Barrister Umar Alkali who facilitated the meeting, opined that Bauchi State has a well-developed informal system of alternative care in the form of kinship care with extended family or unrelated households, which is mostly undocumented, hence the need to adhere to the guidelines.
He also charged the participants to carry responsibility for the prevention of family separation and family support, family tracing and reunion.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Babangida T Adamu from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Child Development and Social Welfare thanked UNICEF Bauchi Field Office for organising the meeting, adding that the guideline will help in decision making towards improving the welfare of vulnerable children in Bauchi State.
He said, already there have been existing operating procedures in the Social Welfare Department of the Ministry inline with the guideline, which he said if implemented will improve social services.
Participants were drawned from different MDAs to include the Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Police, Media, SUBEB among others.
