National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has conducted a Study on Education and Vocational Training of Children staying at Observation Homes & Special Homes. The study was conducted in 50 Homes in the 18 States / UTs, covering all the five regions, i.e., East, West, North, South& North-East. These States/UTs are – Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The report has been uploaded on the website of NCPCR.

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 provides for vocational training to children placed in various Child Care Institutions, for their rehabilitation based on the interest and aptitude of the child.The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme i.e. “Child Protection Services” (CPS) (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme) and providing financial assistance to State Governments/UT Administrations, with the primary objective of care and protection of children in distress conditions through institutional and non-institutional care. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016 framed under JJ Act, inter-alia specify standards for rehabilitation measures such as education, vocational training, counselling etc. Further CPS also provides for “After care” services after the age of 18 years to help sustain them during the transition from institutional to independent life. The Scheme provides for funds for managing the Aftercare Program by the State Child Protection Society at the State level, based on the number of districts in the State i.e.

1. Rs.15 lakhs to State with less than 15 districts.

 (ii)      Rs.30 lakhs to State with more than 15 and less than 30 districts.

(iii)      Rs.45 lakhs to State with more than 30 districts.

The primary responsibility of implementation of the JJ Act and Scheme lies with the State/UTs.

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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MM/ SB