Abandoned children find refuge in child care centres, get new lease of life

Karan, 16 (name changed), an orphan and once a child labourer, is now a State-level rugby player. He believes that had a child care institution (CCI) not come to his rescue, he would not be where he is today.

Four years ago, CCI authorities found him working to support his ageing grandparents and younger brother. He and his brother Shyam were then shifted to a CCI for support and rehabilitation.

“Karan’s life transformed. He is a class topper, a tech enthusiast, and a rugby player, and his brother is excelling too,” a CCI employee said.

CCIs, established under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, are mandated to provide food, shelter, education, and rehabilitation to children in need. In 2023, 4,854 children went missing according to National Crime Records Bureau data, with a recovery rate of nearly 70%. CCIs play a crucial role in returning lost childhoods to these children.

Success stories

Naveen, now 18, was abandoned by his parents and found by CCI authorities on the streets of Delhi as a child. “After joining the CCI, I cleared the Class 12 Board examination with first division and took up a data entry job at the Archaeological Survey of India while also pursuing graduation through distance education,” he told The Hindu.

Similarly, Rohan, once homeless, is now a sales consultant at Mahindra & Mahindra. “Khoya-Paya, the national portal of missing persons, shows children missing in Delhi and other States. This helps connect them to CCIs. Those who do not have homes or whose parents are unable to accept them stay here,” said Mukesh Kumar, senior manager at a Jahangirpuri CCI.

Mr. Kumar said the system was recently overhauled. CHILDLINE 1098, a 24×7 toll-free service for children, has been integrated with the 112 centralised emergency helpline, and the authorities are adapting to these changes.

“The current strength at Jahangirpuri CCI is 70, well below the sanctioned 200. A major reason for the low occupancy is the loss of the child network due to the helplines’ merger,” he said.

Nishtha Singh, a CCI counsellor, said more CCIs and counsellors are needed to meet the rising demand. “A lot of children come from neglected families, those with single parents or relatives, often abusive and exploitative,” she said.

In 2022, the Delhi High Court issued guidelines to improve CCIs after five girls escaped from a children’s home at Bakhtawar Pur, north-west Delhi, in 2021.