The Puducherry government has come out with a policy for rehabilitation and rescue of street children with a focus on their overall care, protection, and well-being.
Prepared by the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), the policy encourages direct participation by Childline, District Child Protection Unit, non-governmental organisations, volunteers and other stakeholders and highlights their role in identifying hotspot areas in the Union Territory.
Official sources said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in consultation with Save the Children, a non-governmental organisation, had developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the rescue and rehabilitation of street children based on NCPCR’s learning and experiences.
Although there is no legal definition for street children, the policy identifies those living without support on the streets, children who run away from their families and are living on the streets or living with a family on the streets; or children who work on the street and go back to a family after work.
The SOP will include a common framework for minimum standards of care and protection of street children, access of such children to quality care and protection, access to foster care and sponsorship as per requirement.
According to a senior official, “The Department of Women and Child Development will be the nodal agency and will ensure that all the District Collectors/Regional Administrators will take prompt action for effective implementation of the SOP. The policy also empowers Childline, District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), NGOs, and other stakeholders to identify street children. The scope of the work of NGOs shall include bringing all cases of children identified by them to their respective Child Welfare Committee and work with departments concerned for their rehabilitation.”
The official added,” Specific roles have been assigned to different agencies. For instance, the Department of Health has to bring street children under its health safety net while the Labour Department will ensure skill and vocational training. The urban local bodies, municipalities and commune panchayats have to identify hotspots and ensure that data on births and deaths are properly recorded and linked with the relevant stakeholders.”
The policy also lays down 11 criteria for determining the vulnerability status of the child. These include conditions related to safety and security, status of education, state of hunger and malnutrition among others.
The policy also empowers the CWC to take legal action against parents who are making their children beg on the streets. In case it is found that the custodians of the child are not biological parents or guardians, the CWC will request a Police investigation to prevent illegal adoption or trafficking.
