INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

(ICDS)
By
Mrs. Athira B Prasad
ICDS
Most important scheme in the field of child welfare
It was initiated by the Gov.t. Of India in 1975
BENEFICIARIES
Pre school children below 6 years
Adolescent girls 11 to 18 years
Pregnant and lactating mothers
contd….
Each anganwadi unit covers a population of about 400 to 800 and mini
anganwadi centre about 150 to 400.
Revised population norms for anganwadis are :- 1 AWC for 400-800 population,2
AWCs for 800-1600, 3 AWCs for 1600- 2400 population.
A network of Mahila Mandals has been built up in ICDS project areas to help
Anganwadi workers.
Work of anganwadis is supervised by Mukhyasevikas.
Field supervision is done by Child Development Project Officer (CDPO).
SERVICES
Supplementary nutrition
Immunization
Health check up
Medical referral services
Nutrition and health education for women
Non formal education of children upto the age of 6yrs, and pregnant
and nursing mothers in rural, urban and tribal areas.
OBJECTIVES
To improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 0-
6yrs
To lay the foundations for proper psychological, physical and social
development of the child.
To reduce mortality and morbidity, malnutrition and school drop out.
To achieve an effective coordination of policy and implementation among the
various departments working for the promotion of child development and
To enhance the capability of the mother and nutritional needs of the child
through proper nutrition and health education.
DELIVERY OF SERVICES
1. Supplementary Nutrition
It’s given to children below 6yrs and nursing and expectant mothers from low income
group.
The type of food depends upon local availability, type of beneficiary, location of the
project etc.
The aim is to supplement nutritional intake by about 200kCal and 8-10 gms of protein
for children below 1yr ;about 500 Cal and 25grams of protein for pregnant women and
nursing mothers.
Supplementary nutrition is given in 300 days a year.
Children are weighed every month
Nutrition education and health education is given to mothers of children suffering
from 1st degree of malnutrition.
Supplementary nutrition is given to children suffering from 2 nd and 3rd degree
malnutrition and recommend hospitalisation for children having 4 th degree
malnutrition.
2. Nutrition and Health Education
Nutrition and health education is given to all women in the age group 15-45 yrs.
Giving priority to nursing and expectant mothers .
3. Immunization
Immunization of children against 6 vaccine preventable diseases is being done.
For expectant mothers immunization against tetanus is recommended.
4. Health check up
It include
a) Antenatal care of expectant mothers
b) Post natal care of nursing mother and care of newborn infants
c) Care of children under 6yrs of age.
d) Besides immunization, expectant mothers are given iron and folic
acid tablets along with protein supplements.
Health care of children under 6yrs of age consists of :
1. Record of weight and height of children at periodical intervals.
2. Watch over mile stones.
3. Immunization
4. General check up every 3-6 months to detect disease, malnutrition
etc.
5. Treatment for diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, respiratory tract
infections etc.
6. Deworming
7. Prophylaxis against vitamin A deficiency and anaemia
8. Referral of serious cases to hospital.
5. Non formal pre school education
Children between 3-6yrs of age are provided non formal pre school
education through anganwadis.
Objective is to provide opportunities to develop desirable attitude, values
and behaviour pattern among children.
SCHEMES FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS
At present 2 schemes
1. Kishori Shakti Yojana
 It is implemented using the infrastructure of ICDS.
 Scheme targets adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years for
identifying their needs of self development,nutrition and health
status,literacy and numerical skills,vocational skills etc.
2. Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls
 Approved in the year 2009-10
 Undernourished adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 19 years( with
body wt. less than 30kg in the age group of 11 to 15 years and 35kg in the
age group of 15 to 19 years) are covered under the scheme.
 6kg of free food grain is provided to each beneficiary per month.
 2 more schemes are being implemented at the ICDS level. They are
a. Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls – “SABLA”
for the age group 11 to 18 years to improve their nutritional and health
status and
b. Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) – under which
conditional cash transfer will be made to pregnant and lactating
mothers in order to improve their nutritional and health status.
ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT
Administrative unit is “community development block” in rural areas, the “tribal
development block”in tribal areas and a group of slums in urban areas.
Rural/urban project has a population of 100,000 and a tribal project about 35,000
population.
No. of villages in rural project may be 100 while in tribal it may be 50.
Workers at the village level who deliver the services are called “Anganwadi
workers”(AWW).
Other functionaries in the ICDS are CDPO,who is incharge of 4 supervisors(Mukhya
Sevika) and 100 AWWs.
Each supervisor is responsible for 20-25 anganwadis and acts as mentor to AWWs;assists
in record keeping,visits of health personnel and organising community visits and provides
on the job training to AWWs.