Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI has launched Integrated Child Protection Scheme in the year 2009-10. Scheme provides protection to the two target group who are below the age of 18 years:

  1. Children in need in Care and Protection
  2. Children in Conflict with Law

In order to implement this scheme in the State of Punjab, Memorandum of Association (MoA) has been signed in November 2010 and Punjab State Child Protection Society (PSCPS) has been formulated under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 on dated 26th May 2011 and various units have been set up so forth.

Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)

Service Delivery Structure In The State Of Punjab

Punjab State Child Protection Society has been setup at state level headed by Secretary WCD and District Child Protection Units have been set-up in all the 22 districts, which will work under overall supervision of Punjab State Child Protection Society. Service Delivery Structure at State and District Level are as under:

Statutory Bodies

Three Statutory bodies have been constituted under the Act which is as follows:

Child Welfare Committees (CWCs)

As per Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, one Child Welfare Committee, comprising of one chairman and four members has been established in each district as the final authority to dispose of cases for the care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of children in need of care & protection and to provide for their basic needs and protection of human rights.

Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs)

As per Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 one Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) has been set-up in each district to deal with matters relating to juveniles in conflict with law. To facilitate setting up of a JJB in each district and to ensure their effective functioning, the scheme provides adequate infrastructure and financial suppor. JJBs are comprised of One Principal Magistrates and two Members including one female member.

Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPUs)

As per Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 Special Juvenile Police Units in every district and city to coordinate and upgrade the police interface with children has already been set up by the Department of Police. All the police officers, designated as juvenile/child welfare officers in the district or city, are members of the SJPU.

Various Facilities provided Under Integrated Child Protection Scheme

Institutional Care services are provided through various types of the Home under Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of children Act 2015 in the State of Punjab:

Non-Institutional Care Services

Non-Institutional Care Services are provided for rehabilitation and reintegration of children through sponsorship, foster-care, adoption and after-care are provided to the children and Families.

Adoption

State Adoption Resource Agency at state level monitor overall functioning of Specialized Adoption Agencies where in-country and inter-country adoptions are being carried out.

Adoption and Related Issues

Specialized Adoption Agency (SAA)

State Government supports NGO run Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs) where adoptable children below six years of age are provided residential care for the placement of orphaned, abandoned or surrendered children for adoption in accordance with the provisions of various guidelines for adoption issued from time to time, by the State Government, or the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). The individual care plan shall be reviewed every six months and no child remains in the care of a SAA for more than a period of one year.

List Of Adoption Agencies

Sponsorship and Foster Care Scheme

This scheme provides Financial Assistance to children and families for over all development of the children. Sponsorship and Foster Care assistance is not only cost effective in comparison to institutional care but it also:

  1. Prevents child destitution and offers holistic child protection;
  2. Provides conditional assistance to ensure that the child continues his/her education;
  3. Supports and supervises financial assistance to families and group foster homes;
  4. Offers child care within the family setting;
  5. Preserves families and encourages parents to fulfill their responsibilities;

Criteria for selection of children for Sponsorship

  1. Children in institutions who can be restored to families (de- institutionalization)
  2. For preventive sponsorship children in conditions of extreme deprivation based on the “proxy parameters” of - types of residential locality, social deprivation and occupation shall be selected, whose family income is not exceeding:
    1. Rs 36,000 per annum for Metro cities
    2. Rs 30,000 per annum for Other Cities
    3. Rs 24,000 per annum for Rural areas

This criteria is indicative at present, as MWCD has to prepare guidelines for implementation of Preventive Sponsorship.

Foster Care

Fostering is an arrangement whereby a child lives, usually on a temporary basis, with an extended or unrelated family member. Such an arrangement ensures that the birth parents do not lose any of their parental rights or responsibilities. This arrangement shall cater to children who are not legally free for adoption, and whose parents are unable to care for them due to illness, death, desertion by one parent or any other crisis. The aim is to eventually re-unite the child with his/her own family when the family circumstances improve, and thus prevent institutionalization of children in difficult circumstances. The scheme provides support for foster care through the Sponsorship and Foster Care Fund available with the DCPU. The foster care program shall be managed jointly by the Child Welfare Committee, District Child Protection Unit and the Specialized Adoption Agency/Child Care Institutions.

Note: For the benefits, validity and application procedure of a scheme, please contact your nearest DPO.

CHILDLINE

CHILDLINE is a project of Ministry of Women and Child Development. Childline India Foundation is a non-government organization in India that operates a telephone helpline called CHILDLINE, for children in distress. It was India's first 24 hour, toll free, phone outreach service for children. In Punjab CHILDLINE is working in 15 districts: Amritsar, Bathinda, Fazilka, Faridkot, Ferozpur,, Fathegarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hosiarpur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mansa, Patiala, Roopnagar, SAS Nagar and Pathankot.

CHILDLINE TOLL FREE NUMBER- 1098

This is a toll free number and can be dialled from any mobile or landline phone.