In a bid to provide a safety net to children who have become vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Women & Child Development has directed all the States to compile data of such children and upload it on its Track Child Portal.

The police in each State needs to be alerted to prevent crimes against children, including child labour, child marriage, trafficking and illegal adoptions. In addition, suitable measures need to be put in place so that any financial assistance given to such children is not adjusted against their pending loans and other liabilities of their parents, Ram Mohan Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, said in a letter to the Chief Secretaries of States.

Meanwhile, States have been advised to ask hospitals to collect information of trustworthy people who can be handed responsibility of children in case of any emergency. Immediate temporary rehabilitation of children needs to be ensured under the child protection services scheme. Adequate paediatric and neonatal care may be ensured in every district.

All child care institutions (CCIs) need to ensure basic hygiene and amenities and suitable living conditions within the CCIs to take care of the children. The District Magistrates will have to act as guardians of the vulnerable children adversely impacted by Covid-19, and have to ensure their rehabilitation with their extended family, legal adoption through the CARINGS portal or under Government-approved childcare institutions.

In case the extended family is not available for the care of children whose parents are affected by Covid-19, they should be temporarily admitted in child care institutions, which should be monitored regularly, according to the directions.

The same guidelines have to be adopted at the district and panchayat level. Based on specific needs, children can be admitted in nearby private schools and enrolled under the various state and central scholarship schemes if eligible. Eligible children may be given Health Insurance under the PM Jan Aarogya scheme, the guidelines said.

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