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About Us

India Alternative Care Network

Established in 2019, India Alternative Care Network (IACN) is a network committed to promoting the exchange of learning and dissemination of knowledge on issues related to children without parental care or at risk of separation. IACN believes that every child has the right to thrive in a family environment, and towards this end, the collective strives to improve care solutions for family strengthening and family-based alternative care through building and sharing knowledge, building the capacity of stakeholders, and influencing policy and actions.
The IACN secretariat is supported by UNICEF, India, and is hosted at Butterflies, New Delhi. It runs under the leadership and guidance of a Steering Committee comprised of practitioners and academicians with rich and diverse experience working on the care and protection of children in different contexts.

Genesis of IACN

Five years ago on 8 June a meeting was convened for the development of a knowledge-sharing platform on Alternative Care. In 2009 the UN endorsed guidelines on Alternative Care in India and furthermore, an International Network called “Better Care Network” was initiated to promote alternative care. These events influence the care model across the work and focus was given more on family based or family based alternative care for the holistic development and well-being of the child. With these events, the course of care model changed across the globe and it was highlighted that the children grow better in families or family-based alternatives rather than in institutions.
Since India is signatory to UNCRC and endorsed the UN Guidelines for Alternative care, a meeting was convened five years ago on 8 June to promote alternative care in India as well. The meeting was attended by a group of 35 leading practitioners, civil society organizations, academicians, UNICEF colleagues and NGOs working in the area of alternative care. The outcome of this meeting culminated in the conception of India Alternative Care Network, a knowledge-sharing platform on Alternative Care, the country’s one of its kind network. With the support of UNICEF India, IACN secretariat became functional in 2020 and is hosted at Butterflies, Delhi.

Vision & Mission

Facilitating the exchange of learning, dissemination of knowledge and forming partnership on the issues related to children without parental care or at risk of separation. We are committed to:
  1. Spreading interest, understanding and knowledge of the issues related to children without parental care or at risk of separation;
  2. Strengthening the care of children in permanent, safe and caring families;
  3. Strengthening a range of alternative care services for children;
  4. Ensuring that care of children in institutions is limited and used as the last resort, temporary period considering their best interest.

Key Priority areas

The strategic plan of IACN identifies the critical focus areas for IACN to establish itself as a valued network spreading interest and concerting action on alternative care in India. The strategic plan highlights areas where IACN can have the most impact in strengthening the well-being and protection of children without parental care or at risk of separation.
  1. Visualization and broadcasting proof of concept
  2. Build an exchange and delivery of capacity building services
  3. Engage in and support policy engagement at a strategic level
  4. Building a rich body of research and evidence

Guiding principles

The Guiding Principles for the IACN are the International and National
  1. United Nation Convention on Rights of Children (UNCRC)
  2. United Station Guidelines on Alternative Care
  3. Guiding Principles as given in Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Ac, 2015
  4. Various national and state policies and programs such as Mission Vatsalya, Adoption regulations, Model Guidelines for Foster Care, 2024 etc.

Governance Structure

The governance of the IACN consists of a Core Committee, a Steering Committee and 4 Working Groups. The core committee, consisting of the two Co-convenors, UNICEF and the National Coordinator, is responsible for overseeing the network’s activities and operations.

Steering Committee

The steering Committee provides strategic directions and guidance to the Network. It consists of practitioners with experience and knowledge on the care and protection of children in different settings. The members of the Steering Committee act as ambassadors of the Network and amplify its voice. There are 12 members in the Steering Committee, who have rich and diverse experience of working on the care and protection of children in different contexts.
  1. Abhijeet Nirmal, Save the Children
  2. Jomey Joseph, Catholic Relief Services
  3. Kiran Modi, Udayan Care
  4. Lena Dasgupta Basu, Child in Need Institute
  5. Lina Kashyap, Retired Professor, TISS
  6. Lopamudra Mullick, Railway Children India
  7. Nilima Mehta, Professor & Consultant, Child Protection and Adoption
  8. Rajendra Meher, Youth Council for Development Alternatives
  9. Rita Panicker, Butterflies
  10. Sandhyaa Mishra, Miracle Foundation India
  11. Vandhana Kandhari, UNICEF
  12. William Gali, Family for Every Child

Working Groups

The IACN has 4 working groups who are continuously engaged in discussions and developing resources around their respected areas of theme.

Working Group 1 - Family Strengthening and Gatekeeping

  1. Abhijeet Nirmal, Save the Children
  2. Bharati Ghate, Shishu Adhar 
  3. Geetarani Lourembam, Prerana
  4. J B Oli, Butterflies
  5. Kiran Modi, Udayan Care
  6. Lena Dasgupta Basu, Child in Need Institute 
  7. Lopa Mudra, Railway Children India
  8. Manoranjan Dash, Catholic Relief Service
  9. Nicole Rangel, Leher
  10. Prabhat Kumar, UNICEF India
  11. Sandhya Mishra, Miracle Foundation 
  12. Vandana Khandhari, UNICEF India

Working Group 2 - Non-institutional Care (Foster Care and Kinship Care)

  1. Avanti More, Family Service Centre
  2. Devashish Mishra, State Consultant, UNICEF, Rajasthan
  3. Lina Kashyap, Retired Professor, TISS Mumbai
  4. Nilima Mehta, Consulting Psychotherapist, visiting Professor & National Consultant Child Protection and Adoption
  5. Nina Nayak, Child Rights Activist, Former Chairperson Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and member NCPCR
  6. Rajendra Meher, Youth Council for Development Alternatives
  7. Rita Panicker, Butterflies
  8. Ritu Mehra, Independent Consultant
  9. Satyajeet Mazumdar, Catalyst For Social Action
  10. Shilpa Mehta, Foster Care Society
  11. Tanvi Jha, Child in Need Institute
  12. Vasundhra Om Prem, Centre of Excellence in Alternative Care of Children in India
  13. William Gali, Family for Every Child

Working Group 3 - Transitioning Institutional care to Family Based Care

  1. Isaac Arulappan, Dksha Cornerstone
  2. Kamal Bhargav, Youth Care Leavers
  3. Kiran Modi, Udayan Care
  4. Lena Dasgupta Basu, Child in Need Institute
  5. Rashmi Taylor, Prerana
  6. Vaidehi Subramani, Former Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, South Delhi
  7. Sandhya Mishra, Miracle Foundation

Working Group 4 - Strengthening Aftercare

  1. Anamika Viswanath, Miracle Foundation
  2. Girish Mehta, CLiC
  3. Leena Prasad, Udayan Care
  4. Mohsin Sheikh, Care Experienced Youth
  5. Nupur Pandey, Aid-et-Action
  6. Shweta Modi, Catalyst for Social Action
  7. Subhadeep Adhikary, Child in Need Institute 
  8. Surja, Care Experienced Youth, Udayan Care
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Submit a Resource

The India Alternative Care Network believes that collaboration and shared knowledge are key to improving alternative care for children across India. If you have any resource such as researches on alternative care (National or International), tools, SOPs, manual, policy briefs or nay any literature or IEC material related to the children without parental care or at risk of separation and that could contribute to the cause of the network, we encourage you to share them with us.

Submit a Resource

Join The Network

IACN invites interests from civil society organisations, practitioners, funding community, academic institutions and others who support strengthening the protection and well-being of children without parental care or at risk of separation.

The membership to the network is voluntary. The members are expected to participate actively and contribute to building a body of knowledge and learning on alternative care work in India. We encourage membership from organisations and individuals with a diverse range of experience of working on the care of children in different contexts. Please sign up below and become a part of the network.

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