Recognising the absence of a formal legal framework covering all children in Sri Lanka who require alternative care, the government has taken steps to introduce a new law on foster care.

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has presented a concept paper to establish a foster care mechanism aimed at implementing this family-based alternative care system, which has become an urgent need.

The proposed mechanism is expected to operate under two main components: the establishment of foster care itself and the provision of support for kinship care.

Based on this concept paper, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal by the Acting Minister of Women, Child Affairs, and Social Empowerment to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill to introduce the new foster care law.