New Delhi: For some children, life begins not in the comfort of a home but within the confines of a prison, behind towering walls and iron gates. Born to mothers serving time, their earliest memories are not of playgrounds or parks, but of barred windows and uniformed guards.
Currently, 31 children, both boys and girls, are living with their inmate mothers in Delhi’s high-security Tihar and Mandoli jails, an official said.
The prison administration ensures that these children do not suffer due to the circumstances of their birth.
“From playschool to regular medical check-ups and vaccinations, every need of the child is taken care of. We try to provide an environment where their basic developmental needs are met,” the official said.
Asia’s largest prison complex, Tihar, currently houses around 19,000 inmates, including 506 women, both under trial and convicted, lodged in Central Jail No. 6, while 237 female inmates are lodged in Mandoli Jail, also known as Jail No. 16.
Jail sources state that there are 11 male and 10 female children in Jail 6 and four male and six female children in Jail 16.
Children are allowed to stay with their incarcerated mothers only up to the age of six, after which they are no longer permitted to remain in the prison, regardless of the custody status, officials say.
“We ask their relatives to take care of them but in some instances, when even relatives are not willing to take custody of them, we hand them over to child care centres or some NGOs which continue to provide help to these children even when they are outside the prison,” the officer said.
They ensure their overall development through various interventions to help them achieve their academic, social, and emotional goals and prevent them from becoming a victim of their parent’s incarceration, he added.
Another jail official shared that a certified vaccination centre inside the prison ensures timely administration of all essential vaccines for the children, including BCG, polio, hepatitis, DPT and tetanus.
This proactive approach to healthcare safeguards the well-being of the children.
Tihar Jail authorities have also tied up with NGOs and child welfare departments to provide early education and psychological support
to these children.
The aim is to minimise the psychological impact of prison life and prepare them for a better future outside.
“We may not be able to change their beginnings, but we are committed to giving them a chance at a normal life,” the official said.