How govts can support Covid Orphans?

Synopsis: Short, medium- and long-term solutions are needed for the care and protection of covid orphans.

 Vulnerability of Children due to the impact of Pandemic

Children’s safety, health, holistic development, and even their very futures are at risk. For instance,

• Many children are in danger of being trafficked or forced into child labor.
• Teenage girls are at risk of being pushed into child marriage.
• Many suffer exclusion, marginalisation, abuse, and even violence owing to Poverty.
• Large numbers of children are being cut off from formal education.
• Many children are orphaned due to loss of their parents.

How govt can support covid orphans?

Short term solutions

1. First, orphaned children should be allowed to be in kinship care with extended family rather than putting them in institutional stay for longer periods.
   1. In this regard, the Child Welfare Committee should consider the wishes of the child, and the ability of the family members to care for them.
2. Second, fake messages about adopting “Covid orphans” should be firmly dealt by law enforcement agencies. Foster care and adoption of children who have lost parents to Covid-19 should take place only through the legal process.
3. Third, Meal supplementation through anganwadis and schools, growth monitoring of young children. Also, counseling of pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should continue.

Midterm solutions

1. One, need to plan for a possible third wave of Covid-19 and its Impact on Children.
   • Children with mild-to-moderate cases of Covid-19 infection should be allowed to stay at home, with careful monitoring of their condition.
   • For children who need hospitalisation, a parent or guardian must be permitted to be with them.
   • Child protection staff must be positioned at hospitals to help with children who are in the care of child services.
2. Two, Children will need support to process their grief and recover from the loss of lives. For this, Grief and trauma counsellors will need to be identified and trained in districts.

Long-term solutions

1. One, government policy support for ‘Covid orphan ‘. Free education, access to free healthcare, monthly allowance, a mentorship Programme and fixed monetary support when they become adults should be considered.
2. Two, the post-pandemic curriculum should encourage children to share and reflect on their learning on emotional strength, maturity, and resilience that they witnessed during the Pandemic.
3. Three, investments in infrastructure for children’s development. The construction and renovation of anganwadis, schools, rural libraries, primary health centres and subcenters should be prioritised

Source: Indian Express