Childline 1098: Deserving for Children

“Life doesn’t count for much unless you’re willing to do your small part to leave our children- all of our children- a better world. Even if it’s difficult. Even if the work seems great. Even if we don’t get very far in our lifetime.” – Barack Obama, President of the United States.
 
INTRODUCTION:
CHILDLINE is a national, 24 – hours, free, emergency telephone helpline service for children in need of care and protection. The CHILDLINE number 1098 is a toll free number that is common in all the cities of India. Initially started in Mumbai in June 1996, CHILDLINE is currently operational in 83 cities. CHILDLINE aims to reach out to the most marginalised children and provides interventions of shelter, medical, reparation, rescue, death related, sponsorships, emotional support and guidance. So if you see a child in distress, call 1098!

CHILDLINE India Foundation (CIF) was founded in 1999 after initiating and running this service for Mumbai city from inception. Based on the partnership model, CIF is the nodal organisation for CHILDLINE service across the country. The goal of CIF is to reach out to marginalised children in need of care and protection.
 
STRUCTURE AT THE CITY LEVEL:
Every city, where the CHILDLINE service is running, has a similar structure, as well as a uniform process in which it assesses the needs of children, develops a resource directory of the organisations in the city, ensures the phones are ringing and provides training to the new team. CHILDLINE functions through a network of NGOs, academic institutions, the corporate sector and allied systems.

A) CHILLINE ADVISIORY BOARD (CAB): is comprises of senior level of functionaries from the allied systems, NGOs, concerned individuals, media etc. It is the policy making body for CHILDLINE at the city level. It undertakes periodical review of the CHILDLINE services.

B) THE NODAL ORGANISATION: is essentially an academic institution which ensures coordination, training, research, documentation, awareness and advocacy.

C) THE COLABORATIVE ORGANISATION: is the 24 hours service for children, which respond to the calls on 1098, provides emergency intervention if required., links the children to the service for ultimate rehabilitation, conducts awareness and outreach programs and documents every call that come into CHILDLINE and the intervention or follow up done.

D) THE SUPPORT ORGANISATION(S): responds to the calls referred by the collaborative organisation, conducts awareness and outreach programs.

E) THE RESOURCE ORGANISATION(S): act as referral centres for CHILDLINE. They also participate in outreach and awareness programs for CHILDLINE.

F) THE CHILDLINE CONTACT CENTRE: is the centralised call centre initiation of CIF, located in Mumbai. It receives calls to 1098 from several cities in West and North Zones. Intervention calls are forwarded to partners.
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With this structure CHILDLINE works at the three levels – micro level, mezzo level and macro level, functioning as a catalyst to effect systemic change.
 
CALLS TO CHILDLINE-1098:

TARGET AUDIENCE OF CHILLINE:
CHILDLINE works with marginalised children from various cities/ districts covers almost maximum part of the country. This includes working with-

• Street children and young living on the street.
• Emotionally disturbed children.
• Child labourers especially in the unorganised sector.
• Children who have been abused.
• Child victims of the flesh trade.
• Differently able children.
• Child addicts, children in conflict with the law.
• Children in institutions.
• Mentally ill children.
• Children affected by HIV/AIDS.
• Children affected by conflicts or disorders.
• Child political refugees and
• Children whose families are in crisis.

 
CHILDREN’S REACTION:
During the counselling and intervention it has been observed that the:

• Most of the children do not want to go back to their villages / families.
• They do not wish to be taken to Govt homes.
• Children are facing problems with police
• Abuse, exploitation, violence and denial of access to rights, are the ways of their daily routine life.

 
ISSUES IDENTIFIED:
Through the various studies and research by the CHILDLINE partners, following issues are identified for strengthening of services in regards to child welfare.

• Lack of awareness in many respects.
• Lack of adequate residential / shelter facilities.
• Poor standards of hygiene, quality of food & clothing and other basic facilities.
• Inadequate infrastructure in terms of toilets, recreation, education, vocational training in the existing shelters.
• Inadequate after care facilities for older children.
• Shelter care for mentally challenged / differently abled children almost non-existent.

 
GUIDELINE PRINCIPLES FOR TAKING DECISIONS IN RELATION TO CHILDREN:
Decision making is a crucial task when we are dealing with children in CHILDLINE. It is the ability of social worker, counselor or staff member to think in appropriate direction and to act accordingly for the well being of child. Following are the some important aspect that needs to be taken into consideration while taking any decision pertaining to the child:

• The best interest of the child is the guiding principle in all work with the children.
• A ‘rights oriented’ approach is taken in all the decisions and rehabilitation plans for children.
• The child’s ‘Right to participation’ is respected and the child is consulted while making decision in all matters that impact his/her life.
• All effort must be made to ensure that the child grows up in his own family and in a nurturing environment.
• Prevention of family breakdown and destitution of children, and strengthening of families ‘at risk’ through supportive services is therefore the first priority and form of intervention.
• If the child’s own family cannot look after the child then other family based, community oriented alternatives should be considered.
• Long term institutional care as a form of rehabilitation (like commitment to an institution till 18 years) should be the very last alternative for a child.
• When handling the matter related to Children in Need of Care and Protection and Juveniles in conflict with law we have to ensure that all proceedings are conducted in a sensitive and child friendly environment, and with a ‘ child centered’ approach.

 
CONCLUSION:
CHILDLINE’s comprehensive strategy to bring about systematic change by creating child friendly systems has yielded astonishing results. CHILDLINE works with the system and its process on behalf of the child to reach the goal of a safe child friendly environment. Hence, impact and changes in the process that takes considerable amount of time and call for perseverance. It is the surest way to ensure a long term solution.
So if YOU see a child in distress, call 1098.
 
References:

1. CHILDLINE India Foundation (March 2010): CHILDLINE calling……Is India Listening, An analysis of calls to 1098, Mumbai.
2. Dr. Nilima Mehata (2008): Child Protection and Juvenile Justice System for Children in Need of Care and Protection, CHILDLINE India Foundation, Mumbai.
3. CHILDLINE India Foundation (January 2011): Hello Childline, Issue 62, Childline News letter, Mumbai.
4. Suraj Gupta (1991): Speaking of Child Care, Sterling publishers, New Delhi.

 
Abhay M. Jadhav
Abhay M. Jadhav, Assistant Professor and Acting Director-CHILDLINE Nodal Org., Department of Social Work, Walchand College of Arts and Science, Solapur-413006, (Maharashtra).
E-mail: [email protected]

Jitendra S. Gandhi
Jitendra S. Gandhi , Assistant Professor., Department of Social Work, Walchand College of Arts and Science, Solapur-413006, (Maharashtra)