Govt Forms District Task Force To Identify Children Orphaned By Covid-19

SRINAGAR, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday accorded sanction to constitution of District Level Task Force in each district for providing care and protection to children infected by COVID-19 as well as children of COVID-19 infected parents.

The Task Force will be headed by respective district magistrates, Chief medical officer, Additional Superintendent of police, district social welfare officer, district child protection, chairperson of child welfare committee or in his absence any member of the committee and an NGO running a child care institution nominated by the District Magistrate.

Among others, the Task Force has been tasked to compile details of all adults who have died due to COVID-19 and find out any children orphaned or children in need of care and protection.

It is tasked to produce such children before the Child Welfare Committee which shall decide their rehabilitation such as adoption, foster care, sponsorship etc and institutionalization as the last resort as per the provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The Task Force has been asked to place such children in temporary shelters, whose parents are undergoing COVID-19 treatment and are left without relative(s) or [email protected]) to take necessary care. It is also tasked to provide psychological and counseling support to children infected affected due to COVID-19 as well as children of COVID infected/affected parents.

The Task Force has been also asked to ensure timely referral of children infected with COVID-19 to treatment centers along with ensuring their nutritional support during post treatment period.

The Task Forces has been also tasked to identify and design one registered child care institution in each district and make arrangements for such institutions as COVID care centers exclusively for children.

It is further ordered that the District Level Task Force shall meet every week and as and when required for providing intervention programmes for care and protection of these children, reads an order, a copy of which lies with GNS.

The District Collector shall be responsible for convening the meeting of the Task Force and shall submit a status report once in every 15 days to the Government, it added. (GNS)