Ministry of Women and Child Development asks states and UTs to ensure kid’s protection impacted by COVID

In a letter written to the chief secretaries of states and administrators of UTs, Ram Mohan Mishra, Secretary, WCD, has advised them to continue the efforts relentlessly to bring all such children under the safety net provided by the government schemes and programmes

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has asked the states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure care and protection of children adversely impacted by COVID, following the protocol as mandated under the JJ Act, 2015. In a letter written to the chief secretaries of states and administrators of UTs, Ram Mohan Mishra, Secretary, WCD, has advised them to continue the efforts relentlessly to bring all such children under the safety net provided by the government schemes and programmes.

The Ministry has said that to ensure the best interest of the children during the pandemic, need and resource mapping, along with careful planning, should be done to foster access to resources needed for their individual needs.

“All concerned government departments and other stakeholders at all levels must be activated to guarantee convergent efforts in the best interest of the child in distress. It may be ensured that none of the vulnerable children slip through the safety net,” said WCD.

The states and UTs have been asked to adopt the following measures.

• Health Insurance may be secured for eligible children under PM Jan Arogya Yojana scheme of the Government of India, as per the scheme guidelines.
• Identification and profiling of children through outreach, survey etc., and creation of a database with a profile of each child, along with the details of their specific needs and requirements. The data of children should be kept secure by the authorities and confidentiality about their identities should be maintained, as prescribed under the JJ Act, 2015. The data of every child should be uploaded on Track Child Portal of Government of India.
• Contact details of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and Childline (1098) should pe publicised at hospital receptions and other prominent places. Suitable measures need to be put in place to ensure that financial assistance offered to children is not adjusted against pending loans/other liabilities of their parents.
• Directions may be given to hospitals to collect contact details of trustworthy person of patients in hospital admission form, to be contacted for taking care of children in case of any eventuality, and adequate provisions for paediatric and neo-natal care may be ensured in every district.
• All Child Care Institutions (CCIs) should be directed to ensure proper facilities such as clean and hygienic living conditions, basic amenities, quality food and safety for all children. Apart from it, suitable arrangements for isolation facilities shall be put in place within CCIs to take care of children suffering from COVID. A local helpline will be launched manned by experts for psychosocial care/support to children in distress.
• Role of District Magistrate (DM) and district administration guardianship includes playing the role of a guardian by district magistrates for vulnerable children impacted adversely by COVID. The DMs shall make efforts that such children are rehabilitated in the manner as prescribed under the JJ Act, 2015.
• Institutional support through Child Care Institutions (CCIs) to house children whose parents have been unwell due to COVID and provide necessary support to them, in case, extended family is not available to take care of them. Regular monitoring of CCIs will be conducted in the district through a team of officials to ensure proper rehabilitation/restoration of children.
• Panchayati Raj institutions/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have to identify and inform district administration/district child protection unit about children in distress. Further, DMs have to organise orientation and sensitisation of ULBs and Panchayati Raj institutions, and inform them regarding measures being taken and schemes announced for such children.