Sri Lanka is set to introduce a new Alternative Care Policy in 2027 to provide structured protection and care for children facing vulnerable and unsafe situations, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj has announced.
The Minister made the announcement in a special statement issued yesterday (November 14) following the incident involving a 15-year-old girl and a newborn baby found in the Knuckles region.
Describing the incident as deeply distressing, the Minister said she was relieved that both the teenage girl and the newborn baby were currently safe.
She said relevant authorities had been instructed to take immediate and continuous action to safeguard the physical and mental well-being of both children and ensure their future welfare.
The Minister stressed that the incident should not be viewed as an isolated case, noting that children are increasingly exposed to different forms of vulnerability due to complex economic, social and political challenges.
