In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 62A of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Amendment Act 2006, State Government vide its notification No. 20825/WCD Dated 3.12.12, to constitute District Child Protection Unit, designated District Child Protection Society formed under ICPS to act as District Child Protection Unit.
As per Rule-65 of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Orissa Amendment Rules 2009, the specific functions of the District Child Protection Unit includes:-
1.Ensure effective implementation of the Act at district or city levels by supporting the creation of adequate infrastructures, such as setting up Boards, Committees, Special Juvenile Police Units and homes in each district.
2.Identify families at risk and children in need of care and protection.
3. Assess the number of children in difficult circumstances and creating district-specific databases to monitor trends and patterns of children in difficult circumstances.
4.Periodic and regular mapping of all child-related services at district for creating a resource directory and making the information available to the Committees and Boards from time to time.
5.Implement family based non-institutional services including sponsorship, foster care, adoption and aftercare.
6.Ensure setting up of District, Block and Village level Child Protection Committees for effective implementation of programmes as well as discharge of its functions.
7. Facilitate transfer of children at all levels for either their restoration to their families or placing the child in long or short-term rehabilitation through institutionalisation, adoption, foster care and sponsorship.
8. Supporting State Adoption Resource Agency in implementation of family-based non-institutional service in district level.
9.Network and coordinate with all government departments to build inter-sectoral linkages on child protection issues, including Departments of Health, Education, Social Welfare, Urban Basic Services, Backward Classes & Minorities, Youth Services, Police, Judiciary, Labour, State AIDS Control Society, among others.
10. Network and coordinate with civil society organisations working under the Act.
11.Develop parameters and tools for effective monitoring and supervision of agencies and institutions in the district in consultation with experts in child welfare.
12. Supervise and monitor all institutions or agencies providing residential facilities to children in district.
13. Train and build capacity of all personnel (Government and Non- government) implementing the Act to provide effective services to children.
14.Organise quarterly meeting with all stakeholders at district level including CHILDLINE Specialized Adoption Agencies, Officer in-charges of homes, non-governmental organisations and members of public to review the progress and implementation of the Act.
15.Liaison with the State Child Protection Unit, State Adoption Resource Agency at State level and District Child Protection Units of other districts. In addition to these above, as per Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), the functions of District Child Protection Unit (erstwhile DCPS) includes.
16. Contribute to the effective implementation of child protection legislation, schemes and achievement of child protection goals laid out in the National Plan of Action for Children. In doing so, the DCPU will follow national and state priorities, rules and guidelines.
17.Ensure that for each child in need of care there is an individual care plan and that the plan is regularly reviewed. Monitor the implementation of the plan.
18.Identify families at risk and children in need of care and protection through effective networking and linkages with the ICDS functionaries, Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAA), NGOs dealing with child protection issues and local bodies, viz. PRIs and Urban Local Bodies, etc.
19.Identify and support credible voluntary organisations to implement program components of the ICPS.
20. Facilitate effective implementation of other legislation for child protection in the district, viz. Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (HAMA) 1956; Guardians and Wards Act (GAWA) 1890; Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986; Child Marriage and Restraint Act 1979 and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act 1986, Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act 1994, Protection of children from Sexual Offense Act,2012, CPCRC Act,2005 etc. and any other Act that comes into force for protecting child rights.
21. Encourage voluntary youth participation in child protection programs at district, block and community levels.
22.Provide secretarial support to the DCPC.
23. Maintain a database of all children in institutional care and non-institutional care at the district level. This Data Management System will ultimately be uploaded onto a comprehensive, integrated, live database for children in care and in need of care in the country- the & TrackChild.
