HCHW has been recognized by CRY (a leading funding organization in India) as Resource Organization, for carrying forward its new initiative entitled Quality Institutional Care and Alternatives for Children in Andhra Pradesh. The year made a good beginning in promoting the initiative in Andhra Pradesh.

Regional Consultations
Three Regional Consultations have been organized to familiarize Government and NGOs on Quality Institutional Care and Alternatives for Children and make them understand the need, relevance and significance of it. These consultations have been participatory in approach based upon group work, small group presentations, plenary and brain storming sessions. The participants have actively participated and shared on a common platform for taking initiatives in bringing out quality parameters and standards for institutions providing institutional care for children in Andhra Pradesh.

District Consultations
It has become clear that the existence of institutions cannot be over ruled completely. It has been reiterated from different circles that institutions are required for children who do not have an alternative or atleast for such period of time till an alternative arrangement is explored. HCHW organized eight District Level Consultations involving the Government and Non Government Organizations on QIC&AC initiative in Andhra Pradesh.

The consultations have sensitized all the participants and stakeholders about the initiative and remitted in the formation of District Resource Organization and District Level Core Groups involving representatives of Government, NGOs, activists, expertise in child sector; evolved quality parameters and standards for children providing institutional care.

District Resource Organization
The Network Partners of HCHW have been anchoring as the District Resource organizations in their respective districts facilitating the District Core Groups. These Resource Organizations have been spreading the QIC & AC initiative in their respective districts among the various stake holders through interactions, orientations, dialogues etc. Presently, 18 District Resource Organizations have been identified while 14 Core Groups have taken its full shape.

Consultation With Differently Abled Children
Disability is a concern of every individual across the globe, infact they are differently abled. HCHW has spread its wings in organizing one day Consultation with differently abled children in collaboration with Vegesna Foundation - an NGO working in the field of Disability, on 20th January, 2005. In this consultation, the disabled children were provided with opportunities and enabling environment which helped and promoted them to discuss, share and express their views and opinions; learn on the issues concerning them with regard to the model institution.

Resource Directory
Andhra Pradesh does not have a separate Resource Directory of NGOs working in the child sector. In this initiative, HCHW has been collecting data from NGOs providing institutional care for children in Andhra Pradesh. The publication of Resource Directory is under process to be done centrally by CRY.

Efforts towards Promoting Model Home
The initiative adheres and advocates that Institutional Care has to be the last resort. While trying to create alternative models of child care in Andhra Pradesh, it is equally important to evolve quality standards for institutional care that are uniformly followed and implemented by all institutions, irrespective of whether run by Government or NGO. After making all observations and field visits, HCHW is pursuing with the concerned Department of the Government to select an appropriate institution run by them for promotion as Model Home. The permission of the Government for the same is in process.