Family and Child Welfare

Introduction
Child and family welfare is the promotion of family well-being. Children are viewed as an
integral part of the family unit, benefiting from the family's well-being and as persons with
rights. This Field Unit's approach to child and family welfare includes attention to the family
as a whole and to the factors that influence its well-being, such as socioeconomic status,
economic and/or socio- cultural opportunity or oppression; resources for health care,
education, housing, etc; and public sector service delivery. Its perspective is on generalist
social work practice in public, private, and educational settings with a focus on a continuum
of intervention strategies from the individual to the organization and community.
Common reasons for family disputes as observed today
 The wife, as such, may not consider the husband as the sole provider, protector or
philosopher who will direct and control major or even minor family decisions;
 when provocations and hurting each other by taunts, sarcasms and abuses become a
repetitive pattern of behaviour of spouses;
 Wife battering, dowry, bride burning;
 violent behaviour of either spouse more often than not the husbands;
 another factor is education, particularly when the wife is more educated than the husband
and the husband does not have regular or steady work;
 Use of alcohol and drug abuse are also important factors;
 Some women consider sex dirty and find it difficult to enjoy it with their partners, the
husband or the wife or both may be anxiety prone;
 In many parts of India the question of dowry or promised dowry becomes a bone of
contention and a point of wrangling between the spouses. The situation may be further
worsened or aggravated by needless interference from in-laws;
 There are highly competent wives who may make the husband feel small.
They are indiscriminate, insensitive and do not exercise caution in hurting fragile male
vanity. The husband may retaliate to cover up feelings of inferiority by showing his physical
power and aggression;
 Extra marital relations by either spouse or promiscuity;
 Doubting the integrity/ character of spouse (by either spouse).

Services for family

The Family Courts

Family courts are a specialized type of courts entrusted with the disposal of cases concerning
disputes relating to the family. In brief, these courts deal with litigation concerning marriage
and divorce, maintenance, guardianship and the property of spouses. They are established
under the Family Courts Act, 1984.

The object of family courts (as stated by the legislature) is to promote conciliation and secure
speedy settlement of disputes relating to marriage and family affairs. Besides this, the idea
underlying the movement for family courts is that ordinary courts with their conservative
atmosphere, setting and procedure, cannot appropriately deal with family disputes in the
proper spirit. There is also the feeling that all matters concerning a family should be settled
speedily in one court.
The Family Counselling Centres

The concept of family counselling was conceptualize by the Central Social welfare
Board (CSWB) in 1980s when there was a spate of dowry deaths. The Board spearheaded the
campaign by setting up Voluntary Action Bureaus, which subsequently took the shape of
Family Counselling Centres.

The objective of the Family Counselling Centres is to provide preventive and rehabilitative
services to women and families who are victims of atrocities and family mal-adjustments
through crisis intervention and systematic counselling. The centres also create awareness and
mobilize public opinion on social issues affecting status of women.

Pre-marital Counselling Centres

This new initiative is being implemented in Women Development Centres at various colleges
in Delhi. They lay special emphasis on pre-marital counselling and deal with other areas of
psycho-social crises management for young women.

Family Welfare Services:

Common problems faced by children

Millions of children in today’s world undergo the worst forms of child labor which includes
Child Slavery, Child prostitution, Child Trafficking, Child Soldiers. In this modern era of
material and technological advancement, children in almost every country are being callously
exploited.

Child labour

With an estimated 12.6 million children engaged in hazardous occupations (2001 Census
India), our Country  has the largest number of child labourers under the age of 14 in the
world. Although poverty is often cited as the cause underlying child labour, other factors such
as discrimination, social exclusion, as well as the lack of quality education, existing parents’
attitudes and perceptions about child labour and the role and value of education need also to
be considered. In states like Bihar, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, 60 per cent or
more girls are dropped out before completing their five years of primary education.
Child Trafficking

The nature and scope of trafficking range from industrial and domestic labour, to forced early
marriages and commercial sexual exploitation. Existing studies show that over 40 per cent of
women sex workers enter into prostitution before the age of 18 years. Moreover, for children
who have been trafficked and rescued, opportunities for rehabilitation remains scarce and
reintegration process arduous.
The worst sufferer among working children are those who are employed for household work
and commonly referred as child domestic workers (CDWs). For a long time the official
agencies responsible for protection of children denied their existence.
Abuse and Violence
According to UNICEF violence against children can be "physical and mental abuse and
injury, neglect or negligent treatment, exploitation and sexual abuse. Violence may take place
in homes, schools, orphanages, residential care facilities, on the streets, in the workplace, in
prisons and in places of detention." Such violence can affect the normal development of a
child impairing their mental, physical and social being. In extreme cases abuse of a child can
result in death.
Child abuse has many forms: physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, and exploitation. Any of
these that are potentially or actually harmful to a child's health, survival, dignity and
development are abuse. This definition is derived from the W.H.O.
Physical abuse is when a child has been physically harmed due to some interaction or lack of
interaction by another person, which could have been prevented by any person in a position
of responsibility, trust or power.
Emotional abuse can be seen as a failure to provide a supportive environment and primary
attachment figure for a child so that they may develop a full and healthy range of emotional
abilities. Emotional abuse is also the act of causing harm to a child's development, when they
could have been within reasonable control of a person responsible for the child. Examples of
these acts are restricting movement, threatening, scaring, discriminating, ridiculing, belittling,
etc. In India a rising concern is the pressure children feel to perform well in school and
college examinations, which can be seen as a form of emotional stress and abuse.
Sexual abuse is engaging a child in any sexual activity that he/she does not understand or
cannot give informed consent for or is not physically, mentally or emotionally prepared for.
Abuse can be conducted by an adult or another child who is developmentally superior to the
victim. This includes using a child for pornography, sexual materials, prostitution and
unlawful sexual practises. Read more on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
Neglect or negligent treatment is purposeful omission of some or all developmental needs of
the child by a caregiver with the intention of harming the child. This includes the failure of
protecting the child from a harmful situation or environment when feasible.
Exploitation can be commercial or otherwise, where by the child is used for some form of
labour, or other activity that is beneficial for others. Example: child labour or child
prostitution
Children in conflict with law
The term 'children in conflict with the law' refers any person below the age of 18 who has
come in contact with the justice system as a result of committing a crime or being suspected
of committing a crime. Most children in conflict with the law have committed petty crimes
such as vagrancy, truancy, begging or alcohol use. Some have committed more serious
offenses. Some children are coerced into crime by adults who use them as they know they
cannot be tried as adults. Often prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination brings children
into conflict with law without a crime being committed. More than 1 million children
worldwide are detained by law officials. In institutions children are often denied access to
medical care and education which are part of their rights. 
There are various reasons why children end up committing crimes. About 64% of cases in
2004 were children who had no education or only education up to primary level. Children
living with parents/guardians accounted for 76.6% of the total juveniles arrested. The number
of homeless children arrested for various crimes was only 7.5%. Juveniles usually come from
poor families earning less than Rs. 25,000 a year (72.3%). Often children are victims of crime
as they are used for begging, drug peddling, and prostitution.
HIV /AIDS

It is estimated 220,000 children infected by HIV/AIDS and 55,000 to 60,000 children are

born every year to mothers who are HIV positive.  Without treatment, these newborns stand
an estimated 30% chance of becoming infected during the mother’s pregnancy, labor or
through breastfeeding after six months.  There is effective treatment available, but this is not
reaching all women and children who need it.
The mobilization and greater involvement of NGOs in programmes for the development of
children and women has increased the potential to accelerate the development process in
achieving the national goals for children.
Child Health & Nutrition
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) globally, 30% of children under five are
estimated to be stunted and 18% have low weight-for-height, and 43 million children are
overweight. Optimal breastfeeding could save the lives of 1.5 million children under five
every year. Nearly nine million children die every year from preventable diseases and
infections: the largest killer being Diarrhoeal disease. There are over 2 billion cases of
diarrhoeal disease every year and is the leading cause of malnutrition amongst children under
five.
According to UNICEF India over two million children die every year from preventable
diseases. IMR in India is 63 deaths for every 1000 live births. Of these 47% of the deaths
occur within the first week after birth. Measles is the largest cause of death among children
which can be prevented by a vaccine. Tetanus in newborns remains a major problem Uttar
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Assam.

Goals of child welfare

The child welfare system has three primary goals for children. These are:

Safety: No child should suffer maltreatment, both in their own home and when they are in
out-of-home placement.

Permanency: All children should have stable and continuous family relationships and
connections. Stable, caring relationships in a family are essential for healthy child
development.

Well-being: Any effects of child maltreatment on the child’s physical, mental, or emotional
health must be identified, and preventative or treatment interventions should be provided if
they are needed.
Services for care and protection of children

Foster care and Adoption

India’s total population is 1.2 billion, of whom 40% are children. How are all these children
in India being cared for? The recent census in India found an increase in child labourers from
11.28 million in 1991 to 12.66 million in 2001; crimes against children increased 24% to a
total of 33,098 cases of crimes against children reported in the country during 2011.i

Every child has the right to family care. This provision is found in the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, 1989 (“CRC”), the UN Guidelines for Alternative Care 2009, the Indian
Constitution and the jurisprudence of the Indian Supreme Court on child rights.

Adoption
Adoption is the process in which children who will not be raised by their birth parents
become full and permanent legal members of another family. For adoption to occur, the legal
relationship between and child and their biological parents must be terminated.

Foster care

Another form of providing family care to children is through foster care, as well as informal
methods such as kinship care. In order to support systems of alternative care for children as
opposed to institutional care, a robust foster care program needs to be developed by state
governments, which keep a central focus on the best interests of the child and the right to of a
child to family care.

Sex education

The objectives of sex education are to help children understand the body structures of men
and women and acquire the knowledge about birth
• Teach children to establish and accept the role and responsibility of their own gender by
acquiring the knowledge of sex. Understanding the differences and similarities between two
genders in terms of body and mind will set up a foundation for the future development in
their acquaintance with friends and lovers and their interpersonal relationship
• Sex education is a kind of holistic education. It teaches an individual about self-acceptance
and the attitude and skills of interpersonal relationship. It also helps an individual to cultivate
a sense of responsibility towards others as well as oneself

Child Welfare Schemes

The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of
Government of India for early childhood care and development. The prime objective of the
programme is to lay foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of
the child, improve health and nutritional status of children below six years of age, reduce
infant mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropouts, achieve effective policy
implementation to promote child development and enhance capability of the mother to look
after health and nutrition, education and other needs of her child.
Schemes for Health and Nutrition of Children
The Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme implemented by the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare covers all children below five years of age. The programme covers 166
million children in every round of National Immunisation Day. Other programmes include,
Universal immunisation programme to control deaths due to acute respiratory infections,
control of diarrhoeal diseases, provision of essential new-born care, prophylactic programmes
for prevention of micronutrient deficiencies relating to Vitamin A and iron, Anaemia control
programme, and Integrated Management of Neonatal and childhood illness. The other
immunisation programmes include Hepatitis B, DPT etc. The Reproductive and Child Health
Programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which
provides effective maternal and child health care.
Schemes for Education of Children
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act came into force in the
year 2010 which provides the right of children to free and compulsory education in the
neighbourhood school which are to be established within 3 years’ time period. The provisions
relating to school infrastructure and Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR), training to untrained
teachers, quality interventions are prescribed under the Act. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Scheme (SSA) aims to provide free and compulsory elementary education to all children in 6-
14 age by 2010. The scheme provides school infrastructure and quality improvement in
education of the children. The objectives of the scheme is that all children to be in school and
universal retention by 2010, bridging all gender and social gaps at primary stage by 2007 and
at elementary education level by the year 2010. The Government of India is committed to
realise the goal of universalisation of elementary education by 2010. The Mid-day meal
Scheme is being implemented under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Scheme which aims at universal
enrolment and retention of children.
Schemes for Rehabilitation
The Integrated programme for Street Children by the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment seeks to prevent destitution of children who are without homes and family ties
and are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
The Integrated Programme for Juvenile Justice seeks to provide care and protection to the
children in difficult circumstances and in conflict with laws. The special features of the
scheme include establishment of a National Advisory Board on Juvenile Justice, creation of
Juvenile Justice Fund, training of judicial, administrative police and NGOs responsible for
implementation of JJ Act brings quality improvement in existing infrastructure, expanding
non-institutional services like sponsorship and foster care as an alternative institutional care.
The Child helpline is a toll free telephone service (1098) which is run with the support of
Women and child Development Ministry and is working in 72 cities across the country.
Anyone can call for assistance for the interest of children.
The Elimination of Child Labour Programme implemented by the Ministry of Labour,
Government of India sanctions rehabilitation of working children and elimination of child
labour. The National Child Labour Projects (NCLPs) have been set up in different areas to
rehabilitate child labour. Under the NCLP special schools have been established to provide
non-formal education, vocational training and supplementary nutrition to children withdrawn
from employment.
The Scheme for Welfare of Orphan and Destitute Children is a centrally sponsored scheme
under Ministry of Women and Child Development. The main objective of the programme is
to provide shelter, health care and nutrition, education and vocational guidance to orphaned
and destitute children within age group up to 18 years for boys and up to 25 years for girls.