Child Policy 2014
Child protection is the safeguarding of children from
violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Child Policy 2014 Of the
Maharashtra State provides for the protection of children in and out of
the home. One of the ways to ensure this is by giving them quality education and
in addition to other child protection systems.
Child protection systems are a set of usually government-run
services designed to protect children and young people who are underage and to
encourage family stability. A child protection system’ as:
the set of laws, policies, regulations,
and services needed across all social sectors – especially social welfare,
education, health, security, and justice, to support prevention and response to
protection-related risks. These systems are part of social protection and
extend beyond it. At the level of prevention, their aim includes supporting and
strengthening families to reduce social exclusion and to lower the risk of
separation, violence, and exploitation. Responsibilities are often spread
across government agencies, with services delivered by local authorities,
non-State providers, and community groups, making coordination between sectors
and levels, including routine referral systems, etc.
The State is
committed to ensuring equitable access to holistic and essential health care,
both preventive and curative, of the highest standard, for all children during
and after birth, and throughout the period of their growth and development.
The State shall take all necessary measures
To ensure access to Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS) for all children in the state with special
attention to children belonged, marginalized communities including vulnerable
and neglected groups such as the homeless population, seasonal migrants in
rural areas, residing on the streets, those living in a drought-prone area,
tribal and remote areas, children of farmers who have committed suicide,
children of prisoners, sex workers, stone and brick kiln’s workers, D.N.T. and
V.J.N.T., minority, workers engaged in sugar cane cutting, those displaced by
large projects as well as construction and migrant workers in urban areas,
those belong to unwed mothers and such children who do not have documents like
birth certificate, etc.
To improve the availability and quality of
essential services such as primary health care including ante and postnatal
care, safe delivery, infant and young child
Child Care for Survival and Development
The State is committed to ensuring
equitable access to holistic child care throughout the period from birth to
eighteen years, comprising the following sub-stages: Birth to three years,
three to six years, six to ten years, Ten to fifteen years, and Fifteen to
eighteen years. While distinct in terms of the nature of the child’s
development and needs, these stages form a continuum wherein each stage builds
the foundation for the one that follows and there is, therefore, a requirement
of continuity of holistic inputs of Care, Health, Nutrition, Education, and
Protection across the spectrum. Special attention shall be given to the
survival, health, and nutrition needs and the overall development of the girl
child.
Survival and Health
The State is committed to ensuring
equitable access to holistic and essential health care, both preventive and
curative, of the highest standard, for all children during and after birth, and
throughout the period of their growth and development.
The state shall take all necessary measures:
- To ensure access to Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) for all children in the state with special attention to children belonged, marginalized communities including vulnerable and neglected groups such as the homeless population, seasonal migrants in rural areas, residing on the streets, those living in a drought-prone area, tribal and remote areas, children of farmers who have committed suicide, children of prisoners, sex workers, stone and brick kiln’s workers, D.N.T. and V.J.N.T., minority, workers engaged in sugar cane cutting, those displaced by large projects as well as construction and migrant workers in urban areas, those belong to unwed mothers and such children who do not have documents like birth certificate, etc.
- To improve the availability and quality of essential services such as primary health care including ante and postnatal care, safe delivery, infant and young child cooperation of Public Health Department, Women and Child Development Department, and Tribal Development Department.
- The State shall take appropriate steps to reduce the birth of children falling under the categories of SAM / MAM / LBL / LBW.
Nutrition
The state shall take measures
- To strengthen the Nutrition Management System (monitoring, mapping, and surveillance) for infants, children, and adolescents, pregnant and lactating women with special emphasis on vulnerable, special needs children, disaster-affected, drought-prone, tribal, and slum areas.
- To ensure the presence of sensitive and trained AWWs within ICDS, and enhance the accountability of various categories of functionaries for effective implementation and monitoring of the nutrition component of ICDS.
- To have early identification of malnourished children and shall take timely steps to reduce it. For this, to undertake capacity building of concerned functionaries for timely identification, treatment, and follow-up of malnutrition.
- To promote breastfeeding including colostrum and proper weaning practices, trying to change inappropriate attitude, knowledge, and practices prevailing in this regard.
- To ensure and encourage for developing the desired habit in order to safe disposal of urine and feces of children and develop the desired habit for same.
- To encourage healthy practices of washing hands before and after meals.
- To observe “Healthy Child Day.”
- To ensure the availability of crèches for all working and needy women in the state.
- To define and implement child protection standards for mid-day meal programs across institutions.
- To ensure coordination among Departments for prevention and management of anemia among children 0 to 6 years, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating mothers.
- To ensure supplementary nutrition to prevent diseases resulting from deficiencies of micro-nutrients such as Vitamin A, Iron, Folic Acid, Iodine, etc.
- To strengthen Kishori Shakti Yojana and SABLA.
- To evaluate and revamp the Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme for children of working mothers.
- To ensure that all sites, engaging workers with children up to the age of 6 years, inclusive of sectors covered by the Factories Act, shall have Crèche/ Day Care Centre facilities and also that trained personnel are available for the same.