------.<- ".

158 } Child Health ~ursing (Exclusive for ANM Students)

i below the age of 14 years. An adolesce

i .
I, Government Laws Against Child 1 aged between the ages of15 and 18 nt
Labour can be employed in a factory JI~
. . on y if
l. The government has laid down multiple
rules governing the enforcement of child labour
he o btams a certificate of fitness rrom
a authorized doctor.
c

l and is taking active measures to eradicate this

practice.
The Mine Act, 1952: It prohibits the
employment of children below the

I
age of 18 years in any mines as it is one
.I ~<!!!Jll~~~ia~~~tl~~-!t§J of the most dangerous occupations
For the protection of children and prevention and many accidents have happened in
!I l

l of child labour, the Constitution oflndia itself the past where children were severely
injured or even killed.
C , provides many safeguards.

r ' H · . Part 3 of Indian Co The Child Labour (Prohibition and

Regulation) Act of 1986: According
A
Fundamental
"'-
------.......
Right to this Act, children below the age of
p
Article 15: The State shall not dis- 14 years cannot be employed for the

1
T
criminate against any citizen ..... work involving the use of hazardous
E "
Nothing in this article shall prevent substances and the list of the works
R,
I the State from making any special involving hazardous substances is
provisions for women and children. provided in the Act. According to
Article 21 A: Added by the 86th consti- section 3 of the Act, any person who ,

:1,: I] tutional amendment-the State shall

provide free and compulsory education
to all children of the age of 6-14 years
in such manner as the State may, by
violates the provisions of the act shall
be liable for an imprisonment of not
less than 3 months and which can be
extended to 1 year or with a fine of

i! I i law, determine.
Article 24: No child below the age
of 14 years shall be employed to work
r .f 10,000 which may extend to? 20,000
or with both.
The Juvenile Justice (Care aD d
!;~ in any factory or mine or engaged in Protection) of Children Act, 2000:
l·· any other hazardous employment. This Act for the first time penalized
I. JD!"rt 4of lndlan Constltu~lon:D p,
the offence of child labour. Any personf
who contravenes the prov1s1o~
• • S 0

Article 45: The State shall endeavour
i
to provide early childhood care and
education for all children until they
complete the age of 6 years.
The Factory Act, 1948: The Act
prohibits the employment of children
the Act is penalized with an imprison·
ment for a certain term and fines or
with both. d
The Right of Children to Free an
f200: 9
Compulsory Education Act o
child upto
According to this Act, every

I
rt
the age of 14 years is entitled to free
education and this being a fundamental
right under Article 21 . Also, there shall
be reserved 25 per cent seats in private
institutions as well, and no child shall
be deprived of education or admission
into any school on the grounds of him
being from a poor family.
Child Labour (Prohibition and
Regulation) Amendment Act, of
2016 is an amendment of the Child
Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
Act, 1986 which has placed a complete
prohibition on the employment
of underage children, especially in
hazardous situations or occupations.
It has also interconnected the prohibi-
tion of employment with access to free
education as per the Right to Education
Act of 2009.
 ( 160) l! Child Health Nursing (Exclusive for ANM S

CHILD ABUSE
Child maltreatment is abuse to children under
18 years of age by a parent, caregiver or another
person in a custodial role (e.g., clergy, coach
and teacher). World Health Organization
(WHO) defines child maltreatment as all types
of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual
, abuse, neglect, negligence and commercial or
1 other exploitation, which results in actual or

potential harm to the child's health, survival,

c development or dignity in the context of a
H relationship of responsibility, trust or power.
A Child maltreatment can be divided into:
p 1. Physical Abuse, that is intentional
T use of physical force against a child,
E such as inflicting physical injury by
R . hitting, beating, shaking, biting,
scalding, burning, kicking, poisoning
and suffocating.
2. Sexual Abuse involves engaging a child
in sexual acts. It includes fondling,
rape, and exposing a child to other
sexual activities.
3. Emotional and Psychological Abuse
refers to behaviours that harm a child's
self-wonh or emotional well-being, such
as name calling, shaming, rejection,
withholding love and threatening.
4. Neglect is the failure to meet a child's
basic needs. These needs include
housing, food, clothing, education
and access to medical care.
 . H aJch Nursing li~orr_!_AN~M~-----------------
Child _e__ - - -
-----7 Specific "triggee' events that
occur·
before many fatal parental ass JUst
au1ts on
infants an d young children in l d
• c , • l cu e·
~n m~ant s ~nconso able ,crying, feed~
mg d1fficult1es, a toddlers failed toil
trainin~ and exagge~~ted parent~
percepttons of acts of disobedience,,
by the child.
Children can be neglected and abused by
parents, other caregivers or society.
Child abuse should be reported, investi-
gated and evaluated.

ltfiitlqE;q?ZIJtt1fll
.a:.ecn'ng the. likelihood of potential The treatment and prevention of child abuse
ET ;\ Factors am . . .
include a support group structure coupled
Ii abuse and predisposmg to child abuse mclude.
_!

with visiting nurse home visits to reinforce

The abuser's childhood: Child abusers good parenting skills and monitor the child's
ofi:en were abused as children. well-being. Children's school programs regard-
The abuser's substance abuse: At least
ing "good touch... bad touch'' can provide parents
halfofall child abuse cases involve some
with a forum in which to role-play and learn
degree of substance abuse (alcohol,
to avoid potentially harmful scenarios. Parents
drugs etc.) by the child's parents.
should make sure that their child's day~e
Family stress: The disintegration of
center is licensed and has an open door policy
the nuclear family and its inherent
regarding parental visitation. The beS t Sttateg)'
support systems has been held to ·be
associated with child abuse. is to prevent child abuse. d Child
Social forces: Experts debate whether India has launched an Integrateh. ldi g
Protection Scheme which aims at s ie n
a postulated reduction i1:1 religious/
children from violence and abuse.
moral values coupled with an increase
in the .depiction of violence by the
entertainment and informational
media may increase child abuse. b is generally
Management of child a use rnrnental
The child: Children at higher risk for . 1
carried out by vo untary an d nongove
child abuse include infants who are organizations. . rights
fel.t to be "overly .fussy", ~andicapped
Increasing awareness regardmg .
chddren and children with chronic
diseases. of children.
--- Strict punishment to person abusing
children.
Counselling services.
Assistance in financial matters.
Education in schools regarding rights
of the children. ·.
Legal assistance for abused and neglected
children and juvenile delinquents.
The facilities are as follows:
Ad~ption.
Orphan homes
. ·. Creches- ·•·
· Reformat6iy homes for ·juvenile
delinquents.
Admit the child in h~spital. t

Recording has to be done aH thin~s

. see at a glance. _ ; · .. · .
· Collect information from ·child and
. ,.siblings. '
~• Counselling ·by- a · profess~onal psy-_
chologist. . ·
 A movement headed by the Ministry
of Women and Child Development,
led to the enactment of new legislation
called Protection of Children against
Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act).
:l It tackles the menace of Child Sexual
Ll. Abuse cases in India.
• The Act was enacted with·the aim of
.
-· . ,criminalization of a range of crirnin~
acts such as rape of a child, sexua
assault, sexual harassment and porno--
graphy involving a minor (less t~an
s- · .
.18 years of ~e). The Act directs settl~g
. up of Special Courts to ensure spee _.Y
trials in cases of Child Sexual Abuse,
C
Without any question, the passing of
POCSO was a major step forward in
securing rights of children and ensuring
they have a safe childhood. The aim and
spirit of the law is to protect children
from sexual abuse.