Seven children under state care were place in foster care in 2017, says the Ministry of Gender and Family Affairs.

According to the Foster Panel’s annual report in 2017, released on Sunday, seven children were placed in foster care last year- two girls and five boys, all under the age of three.

The foster families were chosen after carefully assessing those that had applied- three were chosen from the seven that had applied in 2017, while the rest were among those that had applied at a previous year.

The report noted that the panel had rejected the application of one of the individuals that had shown interest to foster a child, while another was nullified on the applicant’s request. It further said that by the end of the year, the panel was assessing the applications of two possible foster families.

In addition to the seven that were placed in foster care, the report highlighted that 20 children under state care were returned to their families in 2017. They include seven girls and 13 boys, all under 18. The Foster Panel noted that they were handed back after doing the necessary evaluations on their families.

The Foster Panel oversees and determines the placement of children under state care with foster families, in order to facilitate the provision of a home and family environment for children living in shelters.

The panel consists of; Chairperson Aminath Zeyba, Vice Chairperson Akram Hussain, Jala Zuhury, Fathimath Sausan Hussain, Zeena Zahid and Samira Ali.