With a heart warming gesture of the Street Children of Kolkata offering flower to every participant, the two-day National Seminar on Emerging Trends in Child Care, began at Don Bosco, Nitika in Kolkata on 21st Feb 2008. The three day seminar, organized by Don Bosco Ashalayam, Kolkata, intends to analyse various issues of child care especially among the marginalized and street children. The seminar is planned specially for the Salesians and lay collaborators, who work for the street children in different settings of YaR. The seminar was attended by 75 participants from 51 YaR centres in India.


The inaugural session was presided over by Fr. Thomas Ellicherail, Provincial of Don Bosco Kolkata, emphasized that “in order to mould the future citizens of the nation, learning to act for social change is the crying need of our times”. Taking cue from the concluding remarks of Fr. Pascal Chavez, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Provincial reiterated the importance of “giving most to those who received the least”. He also saluted the great pioneers of the apostolate for the marginalized, for their courage that evoked the Salesians to question themselves and their traditional activities.

Mr. K.P.Sinha, Director, Department of Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, whom Fr. George Chempakathinal, Director, Don Bosco Ashalaya, Kolkata, described as a man ‘who has a heart for the marginalized children’ stressed the need to show more concern for the marginalized among the marginalized. He invited Don Bosco Institutions to render support to the Children Homes of the Government in the areas of health care, recreation and vocational training. Fr. Maria Charles, delegate for DBYA-SA, and Fr. Mathew Thomas, Secretary, South Asia Forum for YaR, were also welcomed and honoured by the organizing committee.

The meaning of the term ‘childcare’ has undergone a metamorphosis over the last decade. Awareness on child protection and juvenile justice is growing in India. The Salesians, who are the front-runners in the fight for justice and rights among the marginalized youth and children, need to constantly understand the rapid changes and emerging issues of child care in the context of globalisation. This seminar is a concerted effort by the Young at Risk Forum of the Salesians to understand the gravity of the issue of child care in India.