In news : The Ministry of Women and Child Development commissioned a mapping and review exercise of all Child Care Institutions to understand the registration and status of institutions vis-à-vis the norms and standards under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, across the country and established a Committee for analysing the data.
About the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)
It is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at building a protective environment for children in difficult circumstances, as well as other vulnerable children, through Government-Civil Society Partnership.
Launch: Proposed in 2006 and implemented in 2009,
Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development
The ICPS : Objectives
- To institutionalize essential services and strengthen structures for emergency outreach, institutional care, family and community based care, counselling and support services at the national, regional, state and district levels
- To enhance capacities at all levels, of all functionaries including, administrators and service providers, members of allied systems including, local bodies, police, judiciary and other concerned departments of State Governments to undertake responsibilities under the ICPS
- To create database and knowledge base for child protection services, including MIS and child tracking system in the country for effective implementation and monitoring of child protection services
- Undertake research and documentation
- To strengthen child protection at family and community level, create and promote preventive measures to protect children from situations of vulnerability, risk and abuse
- To ensure appropriate inter-sectoral response at all levels, coordinate and network with all allied systems
- To raise public awareness, educate the public on child rights and protection on situation and vulnerabilities of children and families, on available child protection services, schemes and structures at all levels.
Target Groups
- The ICPS will focus its activities on children in need of care and protection and children in conflict as defined under the JJ Act and with children who come in contact with the law, either as victim or as a witness or due to any other circumstance.
- The ICPS will also provide preventive, statutory and care and rehabilitation services to any other vulnerable child
Child protection data management system
- The scheme would set up a child protection data management system to formulate and implement effective intervention strategies and monitor their outcomes.
- Regular evaluation of the programmes and structures would be conducted and course correction would be undertaken.
Management of the scheme
- Central level: The ICPS is administered at the central level by Ministry of Women and Child Development & Central Adoption Resource Authority
- At the state level: By state child protection committees and societies and
- At the district level: By district child protection societies, among other institutions.
Change of name: Child Protection Services (CPS) scheme
The Ministry implements a centrally sponsored Child Protection Services (CPS) scheme (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme) under the umbrella Integrated Child Development Services scheme for supporting the children in difficult circumstances in all the States/UTs.
Further, the Government has conceptualized Mission Vatsalya to comprehensively address different challenges concerning the children.
