Delhi govt issues guidelines for safety, security of children

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has issued guidelines for safety and security of children in all the child care institutions in the national Capital.

The Women and Child Development (WCD) department has issued an order on the guidelines and compliance of standard operating procedures, saying that all child care institutions must have adequate number of security officers, guards, CCTV cameras and fire extinguishers to ensure safety and security of the children in such institutions.

According to department, there are 107 child care institutions including 14 government-run centres. “Adequate number of CCTV cameras must be installed at prominent places of the child care institutions, specifically at the entry and exit gates, perimeter walls, staircase, playgrounds, dining room, entertainment room and administration block so that the activities of the children are monitored effectively,” the order stated.

The WCD department said that the superintendents incharge must prominently display important phone numbers of the nearest police stations, fire stations, CATS control room, toll free child helpline number, doctor-on-call/nurse, juvenile justice board among others.

The department said there should be an assembly point in every child care institutions where all children and officers are required to gather in case of any emergency situation.

“High-mast flood lights must be installed along/near the perimeter/boundary walls. Perimeter/boundary walls must also have barbed wire for the purpose of safety,” the order stated. It also talked about steps to be taken in the case of fire or earthquake or other similar incident immediately.

“In case of such incidents, child care institutions must ensure evacuation of children from all rooms through all available exits to a safe location at a common point outside the building and keep children under vigil,” an official of the department said.