LAHORE, Jan 12: The Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB) has formed rules to hand over unclaimed children to foster couples, Dawn has learnt. Rules say only those couples will be allowed to foster a child who have their own residence or land, adequate space in their present residence, no criminal record and a character certificate from his or her employer. They will have to sign a surety bond of Rs100,000 and allow regular visits of a bureau team to their home.

Intending couples will have to give an undertaking that they will take care of the child, arrange proper schooling for him or her and will not forsake the child in case their own child is born. If the couple breaches any condition, the surety bond amount will be forfeited and they will be liable for punishment as per law.

On the basis of reports from a child protection officer (Social), a child protection institute’s manager will refer the case to the head of the bureau. On her recommendation, the child protection court will decide the case.

The rules also say that a child cannot be handed over to a couple for fostering without his or her consent. Parentless children and those who do not know the whereabouts of their parents or guardians will be considered for fostering.

During the first three years of fostering, a child protection officer will keep the proper record of the child and will visit the office often. After that he will visit them twice a year.

The draft proposal of the rules reportedly will be submitted to the provincial law department for vetting shortly.

The bureau recently handed over two unclaimed newly-born children to foster families under the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act of 2004. The law says, “The court that makes an order for entrusting the custody of a child to suitable person under this section may order submission of periodical reports as to the welfare of the child to the court by the authorised person.”

Naseer Ahmed, CPWB’s child supervisor, has taken the custody of a two-month-old infant girl. “My wife and I decided to bring up the girl because we had no child.

“My family and friends asked me why I did not adopt a boy. I tell them that adopting a girl is more virtuous.” Naseer said that he named the girl Mah Noor and her presence had brought happiness to their life.

The other child is a one-month-old boy who has been handed over to Sadiq of Mozang.