Need curriculum to train social workers

Approach towards child protection is divided: Activists

There is a need for a comprehensive curriculum to train social workers on child rights, said activists at a conference on child protection in Delhi on Friday.

They lamented that the approach towards child protection is divided, and this can be rectified by introducing some courses to bridge this gap.

“At least 10,000 professionals have been placed under the ICPS (Integrated Child Protection Scheme), but I have been informed that the teacher-student ratio is one is to 40,000,” said Shanta Sinha, chairperson of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

“Grassroot level workers, though not trained, are engaged in a lot of substantial work. They need to be recognised through some short-term cases,” said Sinha.

“Colleges in the country we surveyed said they are not looking at child rights as a separate topic,” said Farida Lambey, member of Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

While some demanded a separate paper on child protection, others argued that the curriculum for social studies should be formed within the human rights framework.

“We need to opt for a holistic approach towards this issue. Most students who have studied social work are not aware of child rights issues,” said M M Vidyarthi, member of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Raj Mangal Prasad, former chairperson of Child Welfare Committee, said the course should be formed in such a way that they help create jobs.