Child Development

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

Launched on 2nd October 1975, today, ICDS Scheme represents one of the world’s largest and most unique programmes for early childhood development. ICDS is the foremost symbol of India’s commitment to her children – India’s response to the challenge of providing pre-school education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity and mortality, on the other.

Objectives

The ICDS Scheme was launched in 1975 with the following objectives:

• To improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age-group 0-6 years
• To lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child
• To reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout
• To achieve effective co-ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development
• To enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education

Services

The above objectives are sought to be achieved through a package of services comprising:

• supplementary nutrition
• immunization
• health check-up
• referral services
• pre-school non-formal education
• Nutrition & health education

The concept of providing a package of services is based primarily on the consideration that the overall impact will be much larger if the different services develop in an integrated manner as the efficacy of a particular service depends upon the support it receives from related services.

IDA assisted ISSNIP

IDA assisted ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP)

The World Bank had been supporting the Government of India to improve nutritional status of children through specific projects in ICDS (TINP - I & II, ICDS -I, ICDS-II, ICDS - III/WCD, Udisha, ICDS - APERC etc.) with an overall investment of about US$712 million till 2005 - 06. Most of these supports had been towards augmenting the Government resources in operationalization of the ICDS projects and Anganwadi Centres, along with additional support on the quality improvement activities (IEC/BCC, M & E, Innovation, training & capacity building, MIS etc.). Evaluation findings of the previous projects offered evidence of improved programme coverage, service delivery and outcomes relating to project specific indicators. Encouraged by these results, the Ministry of Women and Child Development formulated a specific project called “ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP)” (formerly called ICDS - IV Project) for seeking IDA assistance from the World Bank.

Implementation Approach

The project has been designed following Adaptable Program Loan (APL) approach of the World Bank.It will be implemented in two phases – an initial preparatory/formative phase (Phase 1) of 3 years with clearly defined benchmarks, followed by a 4 year full - scale implementation phase (Phase 2) upon meeting of the agreed benchmarks.

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Child Protection

Integrated Child Protection Scheme is being implemented by Union Ministry of Women and Child Development as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme from 2009-10 with the objective of creating a safe and secure environment for children in conflict with law as well as children in need of care and protection. It is a comprehensive scheme to bring several existing child protection programmes under one umbrella, with improved norms. The Scheme incorporates other essential interventions, which aim to address issues which were, so far, not covered by earlier Schemes. It is based on the cardinal principles of "protection of child rights" and the "best interest of the child".

Objectives

ICPS brings together multiple existing child protection schemes of the Ministry under one comprehensive umbrella, and integrates additional interventions for protecting children and preventing harm. ICPS, therefore, would institutionalize essential services and strengthen structures, enhance capacities at all levels, create database and knowledge base for child protection services, strengthen child protection at family and community level, ensure appropriate inter-sectoral response at all levels.

• 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 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

Revised financial norms under ICPS

In order to enhance the quality of services provided under Integrated Child Protection Schemes (ICPS), the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has revised the financial norms of the Scheme with effect from 01.04.2014. Some of the major revisions include

• Enhanced child maintenance grant from Rs.750/- to Rs.2000/- per month per child for institutional and non-institutional care
• The cost of construction of a new Home has been revised from Rs 600/- per square feet to Rs 1000/- per square feet as per the schedule of rates or PWD estimates whichever is lower
• For a Home of 50 children, a one-time non-recurring grant of Rs.19.40 lakh for up-gradation of accommodation facilities and a recurring grant of Rs.36.14 lakh per year is being provided. The recurring grant includes child maintenance, bedding, transportation, rent, electricity, water charges and salary of staff in three shifts etc.

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National Tracking System for Missing and Vulnerable Children

Track Child portal has been designed and developed adhering to the guidelines provided in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and Model Rules 2007 and the provisions laid down in the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS). One of the tasks entrusted under ICPS to the State Governments is the setting up of a child tracking system which will facilitate data entry and matching of missing and found children, and also enable follow up of the progress of children who are beneficiaries of the Scheme. Thus, proper monitoring and welfare of the children under the Scheme would also be ensured through the portal. The Homes, Child Welfare Committees are being equipped with computers staff etc. to facilitate data entry of the children under ICPS.

To Track Children Follow National Tracking System

Child Welfare

• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
• The National Policy for Children, 2013 (347KB)
• National Strategy Document on Child Marriage (142KB)
• Draft National Plan of action to prevent Child Marriages in India (109KB)
• Report on National Consultation on prevention of Child Marriage held at New Delhi on 25th May 2012 (323KB)
• Working Group Report on Child Rights for 12th Plan(2012-2017)
• Sectoral Innovation Council on Child Sex Ratio (CSR) (953KB)
• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Status of ratification)
• National Policy for Children 2013
• Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (119KB)
• Optional Protocols to the Conservation on the Rights of the Child
• Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography
• Involvement of children in Armed Conflict
• Child Budgeting (179KB)
• Trafficking

Awards

• National Awards for Child Welfare
• National Child Awards for Exceptional Achievement (144KB)
• Rajiv Gandhi Manav Sewa Award (152KB)

Publications and Reports

• National Plan of Action for Children 2005 (1.2MB)
• THE INDIAN CHILD: A PROFILE
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - India First Periodic Report 2001

Related Links

• Association with Unicef
• Policy Framework for Children and HIV/AIDs (1.2MB)
• National Policy on HIV/AIDs and the World of Work (319KB)

Source: Ministry of Women & Child Development