Child Welfare in

India
Submitted To:
Miss Richi Simon
Asst Professor

Submitted By:
Nitin Varghese
B.A. Social Work (Hons)

Bhopal School of Social Sciences

Outline

Introduction
Need for Child Welfare
Role of Government
Constitutional Provisions
Legislations
Policies, Programmes and Schemes
Role of NGOs in rendering Child
Welfare Services
Conclusion

Introduction
Child Welfare refers to services and institutions concerned with the
physical, social, and psychological well-being of children,
particularly children suffering from the effects of poverty or lacking
normal parental care and supervision.

Need for Child Welfare

Children have always been the most vulnerable section of our society and
always will be. Children need adequate nutrition, protection, education,
along with a nurturing environment and plenty of opportunities to develop
into successful and more importantly, happy, dignified individuals. Every
child deserves a childhood of freedom, with the opportunity to learn and
grow without having to live in fear of abuse, starvation, and the countless
other threats that plague millions of children around the world.

Some problems faced by children are:

Poverty
Lack of education
Malnourishment
Exploitation
Child Labour
Starvation
Trafficking
Life as Refugees
Abuse and Neglect

Role of Government
Constitutional Provisions:
There are several constitutional provisions for children. These include the following:

Article 15(3) provides that, Nothing in this article shall prevent the State for making any
special provision for women and children.

Article 21 provide that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except
according to procedure established by law, and Article 21A directs the State shall provide
free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such
manner as the State may, by law, determine.

Article 23 prohibits trafficking of human beings and forced labour.

Article 24 prohibits employment of children below the age of fourteen years in

factories, mines or any other hazardous occupation.

Article 39(e) and (f) directs the state to make policies such that men and women are
not forced to work in places and conditions hazardous to them, while ensuring that at
tender ages of childhood children are not forced to work because of economic
necessity. Every child should get equal and opportunities to grow and develop with
freedom and the dignity of childhood and youth must be protected.
Article 45 envisages that the state will try to provide early childhood care and
education for all children below 6 years.

Legislations:

Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929

The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

The Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act, 1956.

Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986

The Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique(Prohibition of Sex

Selection) Act, 1994.

The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and

Full Participation) Act, 1995.

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.

The Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 [NCPCR]

Policies:
1. The National Policy for Children
Adopted on 22nd August 1974
Led to the creation of National Charter for Children
Charter is the embodiment of Governments agenda for children
Included many rights for children such as: Right to Survival, Health, Standard of living,
play and leisure, etc.
This Policy lies down that the State shall provide adequate services towards children, both
before and after birth and during the growing stages for their full physical, mental and social
development. The measures suggested include amongst others, a comprehensive health
programme, supplementary nutrition for mothers and children, free and compulsory education
for all children up to the age of 14 years, promotion of physical education and recreational
activities, special consideration for children of weaker sections like SCs and STs, prevention of
exploitation of children, etc.
2.

National Plan of Action for Children 2005

Made after the UN General Assembly Special session, 2002 and as a part of the 10th 5-year
plan.
Plan is monitored under 8 parameters:
i) Reduce IMR to below 30 per 1000 live births by 2010.
ii) Reduce Child Mortality Rate to below 31 per 1000 live births by 2010.
iii) Reduce Maternal Mortality Rate to below 100 per 100,000 live births by 2010.
iv) Universal equitable access and use of safe drinking water and improved access to sanitary
means of excreta disposal by 2010.
v) 100% rural population to have access to basic sanitation by 2012.
vi) Eliminate child marriages by 2010.
vii) Eliminate disability due to poliomyelitis by 2007.
viii) Reduce the proportion of infants infected with HIV by 20 percent by 2007 and by 50
percent by 2010, by ensuring that 80 per cent of pregnant women have access to ante natal care,
and 95 per cent of men and women aged 15-24 have access to care, counselling and other HIV
and prevention services.

Schemes/Projects
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme
Launched 7th October 1975.
Objectives:
a.

Improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age-group 0-6 years

b.
Lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the
child
c.

Reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout

d.
Achieve effective co-ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various
departments to promote child development
e.
To enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional
needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education.
Services:
i) Supplementary nutrition
ii) Immunization
iii) Health check-ups
iv) Referrals
v) Nutrition and Health education.
Services to be delivered by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
ICDS Team: Anganwadi Workers, Anganwadi Helpers, Supervisors, Child Development
Project Officers (CDPOs) and District Programme Officers (DPOs). Besides, the medical
officers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) form
a team with the ICDS functionaries to achieve convergence of different services.
35 Training Centres across India, one in each State and UT.
Continuous training program was strengthened in 11th 5-year plan, GoI allotted, Rs 500 cr.
for ICDS training.
Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)
Introduced in 2009-10
Integrates many other older scheme into a broader one.
Objectives:
Institutionalize essential services and strengthen existing ones
Enhance capacities across all levels and official bodies

Create a knowledge database for Child Protection Services including tracking systems.
Undertake Research and Documentation
Ensure response across all levels
Raise public awareness (Vulnerabilities, Rights, Services, etc)
Target groups
a.

Children in need of care and protection

b.

Children in conflict with the law

c.
d.

Children in contact with the law

Other vulnerable children

Other support services:

Child Welfare Committee (CWC)
Final authority to dispose of cases for the care, protection, treatment , development and
rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection and to provide for their basic needs and
protection of human rights
Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)
To deal with matters relating to juveniles in conflict with law
State Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) officers designated as juvenile welfare officers are
members of SJPU. ICPS shall provide for 2 social workers in each SJPU for supporting the
unit. Of the two, one shall be a woman.
Other initiatives:
ChildLine India Foundation (CIF)
Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005
State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights
Child Budgeting
Offences Against Children (Prevention) Bill

Role of NGOs
Major NGOs:
Child Rights and You (C.R.Y.)
Works on basic rights defined by UN in the Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC)
Basic Principles
1. Right to survival, to life, health, nutrition, name and nationality
2. Right to development of education, care, leisure, and recreation.
3. Right to protection from exploitation, abuse and neglect
4. Right to participation in expression, information, thought and religion.
Smile Foundation (Est. 2002)
Two working models:
1. Social Venture Philanthropy
2. Outreach Programmes
Focuses on:
Education
Healthcare (Smiles on wheels)
Livelihood (STeP)
Save the Children
International organisation working for children's rights in 120 countries.
Working across 15 states in India
Primary focus on:
Child Survival
Child Protection
Education
Responding to Emergencies and Disaster Risk Reduction

Other organizations working for Child Welfare:

Make a Difference (MAD)
Give India
Hope India Foundation
SOS Childrens Village
Pratham
Plan India
Magic Bus
Akshaya Patra