Catalysts for Social Action (CSA) was founded in 2002. They have been working in India towards improving the adoption scenario. In India there are very few children that are eligible for adoption in the major metros, so they started to look else ware and found that there were many children in the rural parts of India who longed for a family and a home. in the year 2006-07 CSA started work with 7 adoption agencies in the state of Maharashtra with the goal of finding homes for the children and also providing them with the required support in terms like improvement in childcare, living and work conditions.
CSA works in a multi-dimensional framework, with a holistic development model, that allows us to work on primary interventions as well as long term deeper engagements for systemic changes.
1. Support to Orphanages CSA partners with child care institutions and work to improve and enhance the quality of care to children in selected orphanages. The primary intervention originates from our belief that a happy and healthy childhood is the right of every child. The focus of our primary support and interventions are Preventive health care, Sanitation and nutrition | Education and Vocational programmes | Recreational programmes for children| Infrastructural and capacity building programmes for the Orphanages.
Simultaneously CSA is addressing the complex dimensions of the issue like adoption Gaps | effective functioning of the system| Capacity building| support system to adoptive parents | Putting Orphan children in the mainstream of Adoption, that requires deeper engagement with multiple stakeholders revolves around four pillars. These are briefly described below-
2. Adoption Facilitation: CSA Act as a catalyst to promote adoptions as well as facilitate the placement of children in rural agencies. Pioneered the trend of rural adoptions by connecting urban parents to children in rural adoption agencies. Support to-be-parents through the adoption process by providing information, handholding them through the process and providing post adoption support. Networking with stakeholders to bring about awareness and focus on rural adoptions.
3. Stakeholders Training and Sensitization Conduct awareness and sensitization workshops for different stakeholders like social workers, care takers, lawyers, Judiciary, Govt. officials, higher authorities of institutions. Work with officials of child care institution to better equip them to handle enhanced child care.
4. Advocacy and Research
Escalate issues that deter the holistic rehabilitation and child rights of orphaned children. Seek Government/Judicial intervention to bring about change in policy/process. Work towards creating public awareness for children in orphanages and adoption. Work with child care institutions and help in their capability building especially with regards to compliance to JJ Act, 2000