The Open Shelter at Marialaya operates under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme
(ICPS), a national initiative supported by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The primary objective of this program is to enhance the overall well-being of children in
difficult circumstances and to reduce their vulnerability to abuse, neglect, exploitation,
abandonment, and separation.
ICPS unifies several existing child protection programs under a single umbrella while also
initiating new interventions aimed at safeguarding children's rights.
At the Marialaya Short Stay Home (Open Shelter), we provide care and protection to
vulnerable children aged 6 to 18 years. These include children who are homeless, engaged in
street-based work, begging, rag-picking, or vending; as well as those who are orphaned,
deserted, trafficked, or have run away from home. The majority of our admissions are girls
rescued through Childline, street outreach, or referral services.
We offer temporary residential care for a period of 3 to 6 months, during which children
receive access to vocational training, basic education, counselling, and life skills
development. Simultaneously, we work closely with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC)
to determine the most suitable long-term plan for each child.
The Open Shelter supports a floating population of approximately 50 to 70 children
annually, providing them a safe, nurturing environment and a pathway toward a more secure
future.
Marialaya Children Home for girls located at Broadway, Chennai. It is an institution for the children in need of care and protection under the section 34(3) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2015. Marialaya works out in molding the future of the street and slum children with residential care. We do provide the children with permanent residential care facilities for the children who are in need of care and protection. Children are given Individual attention inorder to ensure child safety. Our residential care facilities include children with health care, nutrition, education, awareness creation, recreational and Psycho-social support.
