Kerala: No more free hand for Child Welfare Committees in abuse cases

KOZHIKODE: The Child Welfare Committees will no longer have a free hand in deciding various matters in child abuse cases. The Social Justice department has decided to keep a check on CWCs in view of their controversial stand in some recent cases. The director has ordered the district child protection officers to appeal against the decisions of the CWCs on issues of conflict. This action has been recommended by the State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights.

Other commissions or panels were not probing the cases once checked by the CWCs. The CWCs were in the dock recently over many issues, including illegal adoptions. Though appeals are filed against the decisions of the CWCs, there is no unification of the appeals. Hereafter, the DCPOs would be entrusted with filing the appeals.

“If the verdicts are found to be against the interests of the children, the district child protection officers, who represent the CWC/JJB, should appeal in the children’s court or before the district magistrate. If the verdicts are prima facie found to be against the interests of the children, they should send an explanatory letter to the director through the SCPS. Until the online systems are ready, such appeals can be submitted through email and they should inform the SCPS programme manager through phone,” the circular said. The SCPS will take action and inform the DCPOs through email/letter. The post-care/sponsorship appeals should be filed by the DCPOs before the district magistrate. All the verdicts pronounced in those cases should be properly informed to the SCPS, it said.