CHAPTER 17

Welfare Services for Challenged Children in India

Introduction

• India is home to 8 million children with disabilities and 45% of them fail to attain literacy.
• Girls with disabilities are neglected more than boys in India.

DEFINITION

• Services that provided help with people’s living conditions and financial problems.

PROBLEMS FACED BY CHALLENGED CHILDREN

• Physical barriers
• Communication and information barriers
• Problems faced by family members

IMPORTANCE OF REHABILITATION OF CHALLENGED CHILDREN

• It brings selfconfidence and independence among children in order to become self reliant.

CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC

• Meaning of Guidance: Guidance lies between education/nurture and medical treatment or cure.
• First Child Guidance Clinic: Established in 1922 under the Commonwealth Fund’s Program for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency.
• First CGC in India: Started in 1937 at TISS, Mumbai by Dr. Clifford Manshardt.

Objectives

• To screen and diagnose children suspected at risk of learning, behaviour, attention, and developmental difficulties.

Professional Involved in CGCs

• Clinical Psychologist/Child counselor (MA in Psychology and clinical experience).

Services Available at CGC

• Developmental history is taken in detail to identify any developmental delay of factors affecting psychological stability.

Constraints

• There are only insufficient number of functioning CGCs in India (barely 156 for the entire country).

ANWESHA CLINIC

• In West Bengal, Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) also known as Anwesha clinics are functioning in block public health centers (BPHC).
• These clinics provide services gener ally on Friday but can vary their schedule as per the availability of counselor.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ON MANAGEMENT OF CHALLENGED CHILDREN

• The Ministry of Human Resource Development is actively involved in education of challenged children through inclusive education.
• The services of Government of India are provided through a network of autonomous bodies under these ministries in collaboration with various registered Non Government Organizations (NGOs).

Samagra Shiksha Scheme

It subsumes three previous schemes:

1. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
2. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan
3. Teacher Education

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

• The prime duty of this institution is to protect the rights of all children.
• It was established in March 2007.

Welfare Services for Children with Physical and Mental Disabilities

• The ADIP Scheme (Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances)

1. ADIP Scheme (1981): Provides aids and appliances to persons with disabilities.
2. Quality Assurance: BIS-certified devices with warranty and surgery support.
3. Validity: Extended from 2022 to 2026.

Eligibility

• An Indian citizen of any age.
• Holds a 40% disablement certificate.
• In case of dependents, the income of parents/ guardians should not exceed `30,000/ per month.

Types of Aids and Assistance Provided Under AIDP

• Persons with Locomotor Disability
• Persons with Hearing Disability
• Leprosy Cured Persons

Implementing Agencies Under the Scheme

• Societies, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and their branches, if any, separately.
• State Handicapped Development Corporations.

National Institutes for Handicapped Persons

• Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi.
• National Institute of Mental Health and Rehabilitation (NIMHR), Sehore, Madhya Pradesh.

Composite Regional Centre (CRCs) for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

• There are total 21 Composite Regional Centers (CRCs) which acts as extended arms of National Institutes.

Divyangjan Swavalamban Yojana for Persons with Disabilities

• The National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) under Government of India is the apex authority for providing financial assistance to PwDs .

Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme

• Before 01.04.2003, this scheme was known as “Scheme to Promote Voluntary Action for Persons with Disabilities”.
• The maximum level of support could be up to 90% of the eligible amount of grant for the project.

NATIONAL TRUST

• National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities

Objectives

• To extend support to its registered organizations (ROs) to provide needbased services.
• To evolve procedures for appointments of guardians and trustees for persons with disabilities.

Services Provided by the National Trust

• Disha (Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme)
• Badhte Kadam (Awareness and Community Inter action)
• Gharaunda (Group Home for Adults)

Welfare Services for Children Residing in Conflict Areas

• Once rescued they are kept in various children’s home facilities for rehabilitation.

Welfare Services for Prevention of Child Marriage

• ‘Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO)’ are appointed by state government under section 16 of PCMA Act.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development implements the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)’ scheme,

Welfare Services for Child Labor in India

1. NCLP Scheme (since 1986): Rehabilitates child labourers (9–14 years) through Special Training Centers.
2. Support Provided: Education, vocational training, midday meal, healthcare and ₹150 monthly stipend.
3. Current Status: Now under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) with 1225 STCs in 59 districts (as of 31-03-2021).

Welfare Services for Vagrants due to COVID-19 Pandemic

• “PM Cares for Children” Scheme

• It supports children who lost parents or guardians due to COVID-19 (from March 11, 2020).

Benefits to the Children

• Financial Support
• Assistance for School Education
• Scholarship

Welfare Services for Socially Challenged Children

• Revised Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) is a centrally sponsored scheme of government—civil society partnership.

Objectives

• To ensure appropriate intersectoral response at all levels, coordinate and network with all allied systems.
• To institutionalize essential services and strengthen structures for emergency outreach, institutional care, family

Target Groups

• Children in need of care and protection and children in conflict as defined under the Juvenile Justice Act
• Any other vulnerable child including, but not limited, to children of potentially vulnerable families and families at risk

Activities Under this Scheme

• Mapping needs and services for children and families at risk.
• Developing capacity of service providers.
• Monitoring and evaluation.

Welfare Services for Children with Sexual Abuse

• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was adopted in India, in November 2012, to provide protection of children from the offences of sexual assault.

One Stop Centers (OSC)

• For those below 18 years, these are undertaken in coordination with authorities under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2011 and the POCSO Act, 2012.

Welfare Services for Children with Substance Abuse

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has laid down the following activities in relation to existing legislations for prevention and management of substance abuse among children.

• Awareness Program
• Public Notice in Prominent Locations
• Community Regulations

COMMITTEES AND INSTITUTES FOR CHILDREN IN NEED AS PER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT, 2015

• Child Care Institutions (CCI)

• Observation homes
• Special homes
• Places of safety

Child Welfare Committee

• The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) is an autonomous body declared as a competent authority to deal with children in need of care and protection.

Procedures of the CWCs

• A sitting of the Committee is considered when there is a visit to an existing child care institution of the committee.
• A secretary and other staff are provided by the District Child Protection Unit for secretarial support to the committee for its effective functioning.
• The opinion of the majority shall prevail if there is any difference of opinion between the members of the Committee.

• Any child in need of care and protection may be produced before the CWC by one of the following persons:

• Any police officer or special juvenile police unit or a designated police officer.

Functions and Responsibility of CWCs

• Take cognizance of and receive children produced before the Committee.
• Decide on the matters brought before the Committee.

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN IN INDIA

• The adoption in India takes place under Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 (HAMA) under the domain of Ministry of Law and Justice and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

• Stakeholders in Adoption Process Under the Juvenile Justice Act
• Issues with Adoption

NURSES’ RESPONSIBILITY IN RELATION TO WELFARE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN

• They should have a sound knowledge of existing facilities for children in the society.
• They should be able to assess and identify the various form handicaps among children.
• Maintain record of handicap children carefully under his/her community of service.

THANK YOU