Christmas is a season for giving and sharing joy especially among children.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, Field Office V (DSWD)– Reception and Study Children for Children (RSCC) recently launched the I’ll Be Home for Christmas Program.. DSWD Director Arnel Garcia explained that this program was conceptualized with a purpose of providing the RSCC children an experience of a family home life this holiday season. “There is no place like Home” although it cannot be avoided that there are infants and children who have to settle for an alternative home for the reason that there had been a dysfunction on the part of their biological parents and other immediate family members. RSCC children whose age ranges from 0-6 are either surrendered, abandoned, neglected and abused who are in need of temporary shelter or alternative foster families.

With the “I”ll Be Home for Christmas Program, the DSWD invited couples families and single individuals to bring home an RSCC child and share with them the joy of the holidays. A child can stay with a family with the foster family for a duration of two days to two weeks depending on the discretion of the foster family.

Under this program, before a child is released, the center nurse orients  the prospective foster family on the child’s  health condition, the food preferences and other informations like thmood and the child’s behavior. The family shall sign the child protection policy and discharge slip upon the child’s release to their care for the holidays.

In a simple ceremony, Director Garcia turned-over the children to their respective foster family/parents. He was assisted by Ms. Marissa Paeste , the RSCC center head. # # #eejerusalem