TARA Homes for Children

TARA Homes for Children (often shortened to TARA) is an Indian non-profit organisation dedicated to the education and protection of children in danger in New Delhi. It operates a network of residential homes, day-care centres and a training centre for child-protection professionals. The organisation was founded by Annick Adam, a retired teacher, and Pascal Fautrat, a social worker who moved to India in 2006 after eight years with the French judicial youth protection service. The first home, TARA Boys, opened in August 2008 and accommodated 20 boys aged 6 to 18. The name TARA means "star" in Hindi, chosen by the first boys welcomed into the home. TARA's work is structured around three main axes: family-based programmes (day-care centres), residential programmes (children's homes), and training for social workers through the TARA Training Centre. The residential homes receive children placed by order of the Indian Child Welfare Committee (CWC) because they are in danger within their families: orphans, victims of neglect, parental violence, trafficking, sexual abuse or attempted murder. At 18, these children can benefit from a follow-up programme for young adults. TARA's mission is to ensure the personal development of each child through a safe and family-like environment, comprehensive medical and psychological support, and quality education until independence. The four TARA homes accommodate more than 70 children supported by institutions, foundations and individuals. Over the years, TARA has expanded its services. TARA Tots opened in January 2012 for 20 children (boys and girls) aged 2 to 10. In 2014, the TARA Big Birds programme was launched to support young adults who had spent their childhood at TARA towards autonomy. In July 2015, the TARA Girls home opened for 20 adolescent and pre-adolescent girls (6-18). All homes are located in South Delhi to preserve family ties between children from different houses. In 2017, TARA created the TARA Training Centre to equip child-protection professionals at all levels with the necessary skills. In 2019, TARA inaugurated an open-environment educational action programme called TARA Outreach Centre, providing family support within communities. After five years of experience, the success of the first TARA Outreach Centre in Saidulajab led to the opening of a second centre in Sanjay Colony, South Delhi, in 2025 to strengthen prevention missions. TARA works in close collaboration with Indian institutions and in accordance with the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Children placed at TARA are identified as "Children in Need of Care and Protection" by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), in line with the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. The organisation is supported by the Indian NGO ONYVA and the French association CHAYA France, both created in 2009. TARA's website is tarafrance.org.

TARA Homes for Children was founded by Annick Adam, a retired teacher, and Pascal Fautrat, a social worker who settled in India in 2006 after eight years of collaboration with the French judicial youth protection service (Protection judiciaire de la Jeunesse, Ministry of Justice). The first home, TARA Boys, was created in August 2008 and accommodated 20 boys aged 6 to 18. The first boys welcomed into this home gave their name to the projects, placing them under happy auspices: TARA means "star" in Hindi. In January 2012, TARA Tots opened its doors to 20 children (boys and girls) aged 2 to 10. In 2014, the TARA Big Birds programme was launched to accompany young adults who had spent their childhood at TARA towards autonomy. In July 2015, the TARA Girls home, a shelter for 20 adolescent and pre-adolescent girls (6-18), was opened. All homes are located in South Delhi to preserve family ties between children from different houses. In 2017, TARA created the TARA Training Centre to equip child-protection professionals at all levels with the skills necessary for their work. The organisation offers these training sessions to TARA social workers as well as to members of other non-governmental organisations or structures engaged in operational child-protection activities in India. The modules cover education, law, social work techniques, legislation, and the safety of children and their environment. By training professionals, TARA also promotes their long-term retention in their roles, improving the continuity and quality of support offered to children. In 2019, TARA inaugurated an open-environment educational action programme called TARA Outreach Centre. The English term "Outreach" refers to family support within communities, as opposed to work in residential institutions. The main objective of this programme is to break the vicious circle linked to lack of education, poverty and social exclusion. TARA Outreach Centres offer children a safe environment allowing them to build self-confidence and access better education. According to the organisation's experience, many dramatic situations that led to children being placed in homes could have been avoided. TARA believes that preventive intervention carried out upstream, directly within communities, and focused on individualised family support, can help prevent family separation. After five years of experience, the success of the first TARA Outreach Centre in Saidulajab led to the opening of a second centre in South Delhi, in Sanjay Colony, in 2025 to strengthen prevention missions. The children welcomed there, aged 3 to 18, live within their families but have been identified as at risk following social investigations and home visits. Most are enrolled in school, but their parents, often facing illiteracy, lack of time and deeper social and family difficulties, are little involved in their education. Many older children have left school early, some already involved in illicit activities. These children thus present a high risk of dropping out and spend much of their free time on the street without supervision. The day-care centres (TARA Outreach Centre) offer them a protected place where they are treated with respect and can develop their social skills, critical thinking and ability to express themselves individually. TARA works in close collaboration with Indian institutions and in accordance with the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Children placed at TARA are identified as "Children in Need of Care and Protection" by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the Indian equivalent of the children's judge at the district level, in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, which encompasses both children in danger and children in conflict with the law.

• 2025

  Second TARA Outreach Centre opened in Sanjay Colony, South Delhi.

• 2019

  TARA Outreach Centre inaugurated, an open-environment educational action programme.

• 2017

  TARA Training Centre created to train child-protection professionals.

• 2015

  TARA Girls home opened in July for 20 adolescent and pre-adolescent girls (6-18).

• 2014

  TARA Big Birds programme launched to support young adults towards autonomy.

• 2012

  TARA Tots opens in January for 20 children (boys and girls) aged 2 to 10.

• 2009

  Indian NGO ONYVA and French association CHAYA France created.

• 2008

  TARA Boys home created in August, accommodating 20 boys aged 6 to 18.

Non-profit child protection organisation providing residential care, education and family support to at-risk children in New Delhi.

Product categories. Residential care homes for children · Day-care centres (Outreach Centres) · Training programmes for social workers · Young adult follow-up programme

1. 1TARA Homes for Children - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Tara (association) - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org