DMs can take charge of erring child homes: WCD

: The women and child development ministry Wednesday issued an advisory on handling of child abuse cases in shelter homes, giving the district magistrate the power to take immediate direct charge of an erring institution.

The advisory was issued after several reports of abuse of children at child care institutions surfaced recently.

“In the case of abuse and disruption of service delivery to the vulnerable children living in the institutional care, it is the prime responsibility of the government to take immediate action for ensuring protection and well-being,” the two-page advisory stated.

Noting that disruption of service delivery and welfare measures in the institutional care amounts to failure in delivering assigned duties by the child care institutions as well as child welfare committees, the ministry said the district magistrate may “immediately assume the direct responsibility of these institutions”. The advisory said that children who have been abused must be provided necessary medical care, psychological support and counselling within 24 hours.

“The district magistrate may consider empanelment of psychologists in the district or engage institutions capable of providing psychological care to such child victims for the purpose,” the advisory said.

The DM has also been given the power to take a decision if there is a need to completely change the management and staff of the institution while children continue to live in the same facility or relocate the children to some other facility.

It directed the district administration that under no circumstance the identity of the children should be revealed to media or to general public. “The press statements may be issued... at a definite time to apprise the media about the developments in the case,” it said.

NEW DELHI