<p>Bengaluru: Considering the increase in number of teen pregnancies, child abuse cases and reports about child marriages, seven major departments, for the first time, have issued a joint circular asking authorities concerned to take necessary measures.</p><p>In a recent meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to discuss about the actions to be taken on the teen pregnancy cases registered, it was discussed that family disputes and overuse of social media were the main reasons for teen pregnancies, child marriages and child abuse cases.</p><p>Following the meeting, the Departments of School Education and Literacy, Social Welfare, Health and Family Welfare, Minority Welfare, Home, Women and Child Development, and Backward Classes department have issued the joint circular.</p><p>The circular insists authorities concerned to mandatorily display the childline and helpline numbers at rooms of the residential schools.</p><p>The residential schools have been instructed to separate the girls and boys hostels by constructing compound walls and also to tighten security measures.</p><p>For high school children, a health check-up by a gynaecologist has been made mandatory. This is following a few recent incidents where high school students staying at the residential schools were found pregnant.</p>.Cases of malnutrition among children drop in Thane district: Officials.<p>“Health check-ups by gynecologists are advised at residential schools when the girl students return to the hostels after a long vacation,” the circular said.</p>.<p>To ensure the safety of children staying at residential hostels, the government has made it mandatory to do background verification of all staff, including those on contract basis. “In case, any girl student is absent from the school for continuous three days then details of such student should be given to the gram panchayat concerned by the head of the school and also to childline 1098,” the circular states.</p>.<p>“Counselling should be conducted for children to make them understand about the physical and mental changes they will undergo at the teenage and also educate children about the free helpline 14416,” the circular stated.</p>.<p>CCTV surveillance is mandatory at both residential and non-residential schools for the safety of children.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Considering the increase in number of teen pregnancies, child abuse cases and reports about child marriages, seven major departments, for the first time, have issued a joint circular asking authorities concerned to take necessary measures.</p><p>In a recent meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to discuss about the actions to be taken on the teen pregnancy cases registered, it was discussed that family disputes and overuse of social media were the main reasons for teen pregnancies, child marriages and child abuse cases.</p><p>Following the meeting, the Departments of School Education and Literacy, Social Welfare, Health and Family Welfare, Minority Welfare, Home, Women and Child Development, and Backward Classes department have issued the joint circular.</p><p>The circular insists authorities concerned to mandatorily display the childline and helpline numbers at rooms of the residential schools.</p><p>The residential schools have been instructed to separate the girls and boys hostels by constructing compound walls and also to tighten security measures.</p><p>For high school children, a health check-up by a gynaecologist has been made mandatory. This is following a few recent incidents where high school students staying at the residential schools were found pregnant.</p>.Cases of malnutrition among children drop in Thane district: Officials.<p>“Health check-ups by gynecologists are advised at residential schools when the girl students return to the hostels after a long vacation,” the circular said.</p>.<p>To ensure the safety of children staying at residential hostels, the government has made it mandatory to do background verification of all staff, including those on contract basis. “In case, any girl student is absent from the school for continuous three days then details of such student should be given to the gram panchayat concerned by the head of the school and also to childline 1098,” the circular states.</p>.<p>“Counselling should be conducted for children to make them understand about the physical and mental changes they will undergo at the teenage and also educate children about the free helpline 14416,” the circular stated.</p>.<p>CCTV surveillance is mandatory at both residential and non-residential schools for the safety of children.</p>
