Delhi directs all schools to form Child Protection Committees by July-end

Delhi has directed all schools in the city to establish Child Protection Committees by the end of July as part of a wider effort to strengthen child safety and institutionalize safeguards under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The decision was taken during a review meeting on July 6 chaired by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to assess the implementation of Child Protection Month.

During the meeting, officials were instructed to make the child safety initiatives introduced during the campaign a permanent part of school administration rather than restricting them to a month-long drive.

According to officials, Child Protection Committees have already been formed in Delhi government schools. Government-aided schools, MCD schools, NDMC schools, Delhi Cantonment Board schools, and private schools have now been directed to constitute these committees by the end of July, bringing all 5,633 schools in the capital under the initiative.

Schools have also been instructed to adopt student safety checklists based on the guidelines issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), and the POCSO Act.

The review emphasized the completion of POCSO training for teachers, school staff, and master trainers. It also called for the implementation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling POCSO cases, submission of compliance certificates for student safety checklists, continuation of self-defense training, and stronger safety measures for children with special needs.

To monitor compliance, inspection teams comprising parents, school heads, officials from the Education Department and the Women and Child Development Department, along with Delhi Police personnel, will conduct safety audits across schools.

Around 1,000 Educational and Vocational Guidance Counsellors (EVGCs) are currently conducting awareness sessions in Delhi government schools on topics including safe and unsafe touch, gender sensitization, and personal boundaries.

Officials have now been directed to ensure that such counselors are available in every school across the city.

Delhi Police has also been instructed to strengthen protection measures for schoolchildren, missing and homeless children, children living in JJ clusters, those visiting parks, sports complexes, and Bal Bhawan, as well as children residing in orphanages and child care institutions.

Police will continue awareness programs covering the POCSO Act, cyber safety, bullying, substance abuse, and school safety guidelines.

An Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police has been designated as the nodal officer for child protection initiatives in every district. Officials were also directed to ensure faster action in POCSO cases through improved coordination among departments.

The Women and Child Development Department will broaden awareness campaigns on the POCSO Act through Anganwadi-cum-Palna centers, child care institutions, mobile awareness vans, and printed educational material.

The outreach will focus on children attending Anganwadi and Palna centers, parents, children in Child Care Institutions, and local communities.

Schools have also been asked to conduct awareness activities during parent-teacher meetings (PTMs), along with audio-visual campaigns and the distribution of printed material as part of Child Protection Month.

The review additionally directed authorities to provide counseling and rehabilitation support to first-time juvenile offenders, wherever applicable, to facilitate their reintegration into society.

Delhi had declared July as Child Protection Month last month, assigning the Education Department, Delhi Police, and the Women and Child Development Department the responsibility of strengthening child safety through awareness campaigns, school inspections, POCSO compliance, and coordinated enforcement across the capital.