BHOPAL: The 115 Child Care Institutions in the state are not in a good position as more than 17 per cent of the centres do not have toilets or bathrooms. The chairman of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Priyank Kanoongo, informed Free Press that he is not happy with the condition of the institutions in the state. The commission had conducted a survey — or investigation — of the centres and had found various irregularities and shortcomings, he added.
According to the JJ Model Rules, 2016, every Child Care Institution must have a sufficient number of well-lit and airy toilets with proper fittings in the proportion of at least one toilet for seven children. But, out of 115 institutions, 20 do not have any toilet facility. In the case of bathrooms, well-lit and airy bathrooms with proper fittings in the proportion of at least one bathroom for 10 children are not present in 22 institutions.
No drinking water facility
About five institutions do not have drinking water facility. In 16 per cent of the institutions, beds are not available for the children. In 72 institutions, a written copy of the Child Protection Policy is not present. According to the rules, every institution must keep a copy of the Act and the rules framed by the state government for use by both the staff and the children residing there.
Absence of grievance redress: The commission has also found huge irregularities in the grievance redress mechanism. In 49 per cent of the institutions, no Children Committee is present. Similarly, in 20 per cent of the institutions, CCTV camera have not been installed and, in 33 per cent of the institutions, hotline 1098 is not present.
Adequate measures to prevent any form of physical, emotional or abuse of children that results in mental or physical pain, discomfort or trauma are not present in 11 per cent of the institutions.
According to the rules, every Child Care Institution must evolve a system of ensuring that there is no abuse, neglect or maltreatment and must include staff that is aware of what constitutes abuse, neglect or maltreatment and their early indication and how to respond to these abuses.
Meals prepared on whims: In 24 institutions, there is no provision for daily routine prepared in consultation with the Children Committee and or with children’s participation. Meals planned in consultation with children are absent in 29 institutions (25 per cent of the institutions). The directors give food to the children there according to their whims, although, according to the rules, the menu for the day must be prepared in consultation with the Children Committee and must be displayed in the dining hall. In more than 14 institutions, the children do not get educational assistance and their needs are ignored by the institution directors.
In the state, more than 50 per cent of the CCIs are not inspected by the district inspection committee. This means that the children are left at the mercy of the institution directors.
