TARA Family Intervention Programme: Keeping Children Safe Within Their Families in India
When a child is at risk, the first priority is not to remove them from their family, but to make their family safe. TARA’s Family Intervention Programme (TFI) is an intensive, structured family intervention in India providing support to vulnerable families referred by the Child Welfare Committee, working to prevent unnecessary institutionalisation and enable children to grow up in stable, nurturing home environments.
Launched in 2025, the programme operates in full alignment with the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and Mission Vatsalya, India’s flagship child protection scheme, both of which place family preservation at the centre of child welfare policy.
Our core belief
Children belong with their families, when it is safe for them to do so
The Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 is unambiguous: institutional care is a measure of last resort. TARA’s Family Intervention Programme exists to make family-based care possible by addressing the risks that put children in danger, working alongside the Child Welfare Committee and government child protection systems to build safer homes.
What Is the TARA Family Intervention Programme?
The TARA Family Intervention Programme (TFI) provides intensive, time-bound support to families referred by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). When a child is presented to a CWC and assessed as being in need of care and protection, most are returned to their families without structured follow-up. TFI fills this gap.
Through structured family assessments, individual care plans, home visits, counselling, and coordination with statutory authorities, this family intervention programme works to reduce the risks that compromise a child’s safety and development, and to build the family’s capacity to care for their child sustainably over time.
The programme operates in coordination with Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units, schools, health services, and partner NGOs, always with the child’s best interests as the primary consideration.
Grounded in India’s Child Protection Framework
TFI is designed in direct alignment with India’s national child protection legislation and policy. Every intervention is legally compliant, rights-based, and accountable to statutory child protection authorities.
Section 3(xii) directs Child Welfare Committees to prioritise family restoration, kinship care, and foster care, with institutional care strictly as a last resort. TFI operationalises this mandate.
The Government of India’s flagship child protection scheme explicitly promotes family-based alternative care and community-based preventive interventions. TFI is built around these principles.
Cases are referred directly by the CWC. TFI reports regularly to the CWC throughout the intervention, and case closure requires a final written order from the CWC confirming the child’s safety.
TFI works in coordination with the DCPU and other government agencies, including police, health, and education departments, ensuring a joined-up response to each family’s needs.
How the Programme Works
Each family follows a structured case management cycle, from referral by the CWC through to a final order confirming safe, sustainable family care. Every step is documented, reviewed, and accountable to statutory authorities.
A child in need of care and protection is referred to TFI directly by the Child Welfare Committee, or identified through TARA’s outreach programmes and presented to the CWC for an order.
A case worker conducts a structured home visit to assess the family’s situation, identify risks across five domains (education, health, child abuse, substance abuse, and domestic abuse), and understand existing strengths.
A tailored care plan is developed with the family and aligned with the CWC. It sets clear objectives, timelines, and interventions across areas such as family relationships, education, health, economic stability, and child protection.
Case workers and field workers conduct regular home visits, deliver direct services, and coordinate referrals to partner organisations for specialised support such as legal aid, mental health care, or livelihood assistance.
TFI reports regularly to the Child Welfare Committee on case progress, risk levels, and care plan implementation, ensuring full statutory accountability throughout the intervention.
When the family has reached a safe, sustainable level of functioning, a final written order from the CWC formally closes the case. TFI prepares an exit plan to ensure continuity of support through community resources.
Areas of Intervention
Each family receives support tailored to its specific risk profile, identified through structured assessment. Interventions span ten thematic areas, always with the child’s safety and development as the primary goal.
Our Guiding Principles
Every intervention is guided by a set of principles designed to ensure that the child’s rights, dignity, and best interests remain at the centre of all decisions, while building the family’s capacity to provide safe, sustainable care.
The child’s safety, wellbeing, and holistic development are the primary consideration in every assessment, plan, and decision.
Preventing unnecessary family separation by addressing underlying risks and strengthening caregiving capacity. The programme supports families, never replaces them.
Recognising the impact of abuse, neglect, and separation on children and caregivers, with services delivered in a way that promotes safety and avoids re-traumatisation.
Children and families participate meaningfully in assessment, planning, and review, consistent with age, maturity, and evolving capacities.
Building on existing strengths and community resources, with the objective of fostering autonomy and sustainable family outcomes over time.
Time-bound care plans with clear objectives, periodic reviews, and full statutory reporting to the CWC, ensuring interventions remain focused and legally compliant.
TFI Within TARA’s Continuum of Care
The Family Intervention Programme is one part of TARA’s integrated approach to child protection. It sits alongside the TARA Outreach Centres, which provide preventive community-based support, and TARA Homes, which provide residential care when no safe family option is immediately available.
Preventive, community-based programmemes for vulnerable children and families, addressing risks before a crisis escalates.
Intensive, CWC-mandated family support for children in need of care and protection, working to make the family safe.
Residential care as a last resort for children who cannot safely remain with their families while intervention takes place.
Support Family-Based Child Protection in Delhi
Every family supported by TFI is a child kept safe at home. Help TARA build stronger families and protect vulnerable children in South Delhi.
TARA India is a registered child protection NGO in Delhi, working since 2008 to protect vulnerable children and strengthen families in South Delhi. The Family Intervention Programme operates under the mandate of the Child Welfare Committee in alignment with the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and Mission Vatsalya guidelines.