Bhubaneswar: Odisha is among the worst-performing five states where over 60 per cent shelter homes lack adequate measures to prevent abuse, revealed the first-ever social audit by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
As many as 175 homes, accounting for 68 per cent of the child care institutions (CCIs) in the state do not have adequate measures to prevent any form of physical, emotional abuse of children that results in trauma, says the audit, reported The New Indian Express (TNIE).
Others are Tripura (86.8 per cent), Karnataka (74.2 per cent), Kerala (63.4 per cent) and Assam (60.9 per cent). As per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016), every CCI should ensure that there is no abuse, neglect and maltreatment to any child besides a well laid out mechanism to respond to these abuses, the report added.
The ground reality in Odisha according to the audit
- Odisha has 257 CCIs
- Of these, 20 are run by the Government
- The rest 237 are managed by NGOs and trusts
- 140 centres have both boys and girls
- 76 centres have only boys
- 41 have only girls
- As many as 58.8 per cent centres do not have a counsellor
- 58.4 per cent homes lack house mother/house father
- Only 26.5 per cent CCIs in the state have basic emergency medical care equipment for children diagnosed with special problems such as hormonal problems, immune-compromised diseases, physical and mental disabilities
- Odisha is among the four states where more than 25 per cent CCIs lack child- friendly exclusive bathrooms/bathing areas as per norms.
- Of the 257 CCIs, 213 are children homes, 14 are shelter homes, four each are observation and special homes and 22 are specialised adoption agencies.
- Six CCIs have not yet formed Management Committee (MC)
- Only 41 (16.3 per cent) committees meet once in a month.
- Ten such centres are not yet registered as per the Juvenile Justice Act.
NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said lack of adequate measures may trigger physical and emotional abuse of children in the CCIs. “We have shared the findings of the audit with the State Government and the districts Collectors seeking necessary compliance at the earliest,” he was quoted as saying by TNIE.
Audit findings
- 84 per cent CCIs do not have child welfare officer/probation officer/case worker
- 61.5 per cent have no medical officer, 69.6 per cent centres do not have access to regular paramedical staff
- 63.8 per cent CCIs have no house-keeping staff
- 35.8 per cent homes have no cooks
- Six CCIs have not yet formed management committee
- Only 16.3 per cent committees meet once in a month
- 10 centres are not yet registered as per the Juvenile Justice Act
