Advisory on child abuse cases issued

New Delhi: The Women and Child Development Ministry Wednesday issued an advisory on the handling of child abuse cases in shelter homes, giving the district magistrate the power to take immediate direct charge of an erring institution.

The advisory was issued after several reports of abuse of children at child care institutions surfaced recently.

"In the case of abuse and disruption of service delivery to the vulnerable children living in the institutional care, it is the prime responsibility of the government to take immediate action for ensuring protection and well-being," the two-page advisory stated.

Noting that disruption of service delivery and welfare measures in the institutional care amounts to a failure in delivering assigned duties by the child care institutions as well as child welfare committees, the ministry said the district magistrate might "immediately assume the direct responsibility of these institutions".

The advisory also said that children who have been abused must be provided with necessary medical care, psychological support and counselling within 24 hours.