Special homes still non-existent

Chennai: Lack of social workers, caretakers with no knowledge on child psychology and absence of free legal aid…Fifteen years after the implementation of Tamil Nadu Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules act, the observatory and special homes to shelter juveniles is nowhere close to the prescribed rules.

Talking to DC about the significance of creatively engaging children at the homes, former Unicef member, R. Vidya Sagar said, “Skills present among the children should be recognised and kindled. Their energy levels should be positively utilised. As they remain idle for most part of the day in observation homes, they are prone to indulge in fighting with other kids there”.

The home administrators hardly pay any attention to the need for ‘individual identification of skills’ as all the inmates are forced to listen to ‘moral classes’, irrespective of their own interests. “I like painting. If only there was a drawing class, I would have liked that and learnt a lot from it. Why do they teach just Thirukural every day? Is it because we are criminals?” wondered a first-time offender at the Kellys government observation home.

The massive strength, close to 70 children, at the Kellys observation home violates the rules and the spirit behind the Juvenile Justice Act proving opportunities to reform at the homes for the juvenile inmates and the access to free legal aid for them and their parents. “With most offenders belonging to below poverty line communities, financially deprived parents take time to go through the hurdles of law. Providing legal assistance to them will be a change maker,” said Vidya Sagar.

Let alone comprehending child rights, caretakers of the juvenile homes show no consideration to the woes of the inmates. Seeking anonymity, a juvenile from Chengalpet government children home told DC that the caretaker favored older children and paid no heed to the complaints of first-time offenders.

“Whenever the older children get bored, they beat us. Things will get hellish when we talk back to them. If we complain to the in-charge, he shoos us away telling us to go back and listen to the seniors” said a 19-year-old who lived in Chengalpet home for a year.