In its latest Annual report (2011-2012), the Ministry reports on progress in the child protection and welfare sector, including the implementation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), a new strategy adopted and launched by the central government in 2009-2010. Recognizing chronic under funding of child protection services in the country and major gaps in the system, the ICPS was expected to significantly contribute to the realization of Government/State responsibility by creating a system that would effectively and efficiently protect children. The scheme is implemented through State level Governments, which receive financial and technical support from the central government.
The Ministry reports that the Memorandum of Understanding to implement the ICPS has now been signed between the Government and all States/UTs in the country, except Jammu & Kashmir. According to the Ministry, 548 Child Welfare Committees (240 before the introduction of ICPS) and 561 Juvenile Justice Boards (211 before the introduction of ICPS) have so far been established all over the country. Guidelines for sponsorship of children to enable their deinstitutionalization and reintegration into their families were finalized and a pilot project conducted in 2 States (Orissa and Gujarat). The report also states that provisional guidelines for foster care or orphaned children by Kin and Kith were under testing in 3 States. In addition, Guidelines for the provision of after care services to children leaving institutional care who are without family support were also developed in 2011-2012. Of note, however, the Ministry also provided funding in this period for 125 Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs) and 638 Homes of “various types”, that provide “comprehensive rehabilitation services to children including food, clothing, day and night shelter, education, medical facilities etc. to 29,518 children. Assistance was also provided to 25 Homes to improve the quality of infrastructures and grants for the constructions of 13 new Homes were released. Further, 65 open shelters were also funded under the ICPS during the same period which provide, among other things, vocational training, bride to education, food to children living on the streets.
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