'Regulations in place to follow up on care home leavers'

AMMAN — An aftercare package that ensures the mental and social wellbeing of care home leavers has been launched in Jordan.

The "holistic" system of aftercare services that covers the needs of those who leave care homes at the age of 18 until they reach 24 is now in place, extending much-needed assistance to a segment that has always been deemed vulnerable, according to the Social Development Ministry. 

"In the most developed countries, like the US, Canada and the UK, aftercare services are provided for beneficiaries until they reach 21, but in Jordan, we keep following up on their needs until they are 24," the ministry's spokesperson, Fawaz Ratrout, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

He added that, depending on the vulnerability of the case, the services continue to be provided to beneficiaries until 30. 

"The post-care services in Jordan outperform their counterparts in developed countries," Ratrout said.

After the Juvenile Law was issued in 2014, the Social Development Ministry began to draw up the juvenile aftercare by-law, which was recently published in the Official Gazette. 

"Under the by-law, which is complete now, care home leavers receive housing units, financial assistance for those seeking to get married or continue their education," noted Ratrout. 

He added that the ministry is managing the post-care file along with several official, private and voluntary institutions. 

So far, 28 families of care home leavers have received keys to their apartments worth JD600,000, according to a ministry statement.

The ministry has also established a home for young women from the ages of 18 until 24 that offers them the opportunity to continue their higher education and enroll in the labour market.

In addition, it also implements a programme that targets children of unknown identity, under which more than 1,110 have benefited from its services.

Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans is another institution that operates under the umbrella of the ministry and provides scholarships, monthly salaries housing, counseling and health insurance to orphans. 

The fund has so far reached out to more than 2,700 beneficiaries, including 600 care home leavers.