At BIDYA BHANU EDUCATIONAL TRUST, as we strive towards enabling children to stay with their families and reach their full potential, we honor the incredible social workforce that makes it all possible! This month, we are pleased to celebrate the efforts, achievements, and dedication of Jayesh Patel, Protection Officer, Non-Institutional Care, from Banaskantha, Gujarat.

Jayesh has been a strong champion of family-based care. Through revised Individual Care Plan (ICP) and Social Investigation Report (SIR) formats, he has been capturing comprehensive information, thereby tailoring interventions for children more effectively. Following his own orientation on the importance of keeping children in families, Jayesh also took the initiative of building the capacities of his colleagues—including social workers, counselors, outreach workers, house parents, and Child Care Institution (CCI) staff—on critical aspects such as prevention and gatekeeping, risk assessment, placement planning, and the importance of family.

This collective shift in mindset has had measurable results. Jayesh has successfully reintegrated 50 children with their families and linked them to the government sponsorship scheme. Through his efforts, along with the support from Programme Officer, Institutional Care, and the local social workers, around 2,500 children have been connected to the Palak Mata Pita Yojana, a state government scheme that provides ₹3,000 per month to children from vulnerable communities who have lost their parents.

One of Jayesh’s most impactful contributions came during a Block-Level Child Protection Committee meeting, where he proposed a strategic linkage between the Education Department and the child protection system. Following his suggestion, the District Collector issued a letter to the District Education Officer to identify semi-orphaned and fully-orphaned children enrolled in government schools. As a result, 200 children were identified by school teachers and thereafter linked to Palak Mata Pita Yojana with the help of the District Child Protection Unit, including social workers and outreach workers.

Going forward, Jayesh aims to continue building the capacity of CCI staff on effective case management, and strengthening Village-Level Child Protection Committees across hotspot areas to identify and support children at risk, so they can grow up in safe and supportive family environments.