Thiruvananthapuram: Vulnerability survey to prevent abuse of kids to be launched

Thiruvananthapuram: With instances of violence against children on the rise, the Directorate of Women and Child Development has decided to launch a vulnerability survey exclusively focusing on children in the state to prevent abuse of children effectively.

The decision comes close on the heels of several child abuse cases being reported in the state. The other day, a three-year-old was brutally attacked by the mother, which is just one of the many cases reported in the state in the recent past.

The women and child development department has decided to launch the survey with the help of anganwadi workers strictly following the guidelines recommended under the Shafeeq Committee Report - an in-depth study on the domestic violence  and abuse happening to the children. The report moots a set of model protocol for child protection. The plan is to constitute a monitoring committee comprising representatives from Child Line, Child Welfare Committee, Police Department, Excise, local body and education department.

As per an annual survey carried out by the Social Justice Department in 2017-18 in the state, there are around 7,25,178 women-headed families, 2,05,071 single-parent families  and 3,2564 families with remarried parents.

 As per the survey there are 94685 families with alcoholic parents. An official said that the department has never done a survey focusing just on the children.

 "A targeted approach is the only way to ensure timely intervention. Our annual survey focused basically on the family," said the official. A meeting has been convened on April 27 to draw up an action plan for the implementation of a comprehensive scheme for the protection of children.

The meeting, which would be attended by child protection officers, programme officers, administrators of one-stop centres would focus on drawing up an action plan for carrying out the vulnerability survey at all 14 districts in the state.