National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) created the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Care and Protection of Children in street situations in the year 2020. NCPCR is a national committee for the protection of children’s rights. Created based on the learning experience of Save the Children.
Highlights
This SOP streamlines processes and interventions related to street children. It aims to bring together various agencies, officials, and government programs to create a more comprehensive approach to addressing children’s problems on the streets. The SOP was first published in the year 2016-17. SOP 2.0 was released in the year 2020.
Operation of the SOP for Care and Protection of Children in street situations
In 1994, NCPCR defined “street children” as boys or girls whose streets are a daily life. According to the SOP, the first and most important task is to recognize and classify children in street situations. This is done under the 2015 JJ Act. The law treats children in need of care and protection as homeless children, children working as workers, children with mental illness, children being abused or tortured, and children without parents or guardians, one has parents, is unable to care for their children, is susceptible to drugs, and is affected by armed conflict under the SOP.
After identifying the children in the street situation, he or she will be categorized into three main categories. They are Children living alone on the street without assistance, Children stay on the street during the day and return to their homes at night to families living in huts and slums, and children living together on the street.
Once categorized, they are brought before the Child Welfare Commission (CWC). The CWC describes the needs of children such as medical care and education and also perform a thorough examination of the child. The committee will then provide the appropriate solution. This includes providing aadhar card to children, temporary housing, and admission of children to the Angan Wadi Center, counselling, family social examinations and personalized care plans.
Need for the SOP for Care and Protection of Children in street situations
Save the Children states there are 2 million children on the streets of 10 cities in 4 states. These states are Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. These children suffer from multiple vulnerabilities, such as forced labour, working in unhealthy jobs, deprivation of adult protection, collecting rags as well as begging. They are subject to physical abuse, sexual exploitation, poor hygiene, inadequate nutrition and drugs as well as different spectrums of psychosocial stress. Moreover, they lack access to education and health care. The country has the world?s largest population of children. Therefore, it is important to take care of them, especially during the COVID period when hundreds of people are isolated each day.
