Excerpts and Insights from the webinar "Child Rights, Health & Safety in Times of the COVID Crisis" hosted by India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS)
As designers of educational interventions for children, panel discussions that help us stay informed are a must in today’s ever-changing scenario. Here are a few of our takeaways from a recent discussion on “Child Rights, Health & Safety in Times of the COVID Crisis”.
Gratitude to the panel hosted by India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS) and panelists Anurag Kundu, Chairperson - Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), Pooja Taparia, Founder & CEO, Arpan and Sudarshan Suchi, CEO - Save the Children India. Check out the video for the detailed discussion.
Takeaways & Resources
Child Personal Safety
Be alert to the various consequences of the pandemic that would affect the children you interact with: dropping-out of school, child labor, child marriage, trafficking, trauma, need for access to essential supplies, medical support in case of the second and third wave.
During lockdown last year, there was a tripling of demand for explicit content involving children online.
We must spread awareness about online safety and prevention of child sexual abuse.
Parents and educators must take steps to include online safety protocols, dos and don’ts so as to create safe online spaces for their children / students including password protected access to Zoom calls.
Child Well-being
Check-in or call children you have access to. Find out how they're doing.
Build socio-emotional resilience.
Do activities that build connection.
In spite of the pandemic, we cannot fully discount academics as this is a path to a better life for most children. Innovative ways to address this is a need.
Know that our anxiety around COVID may trigger a child's anxiety.
Avail counselling services to support them in dealing with anxiety, social isolation or the grief of losing a loved one.
Supporting an orphaned child
With the estimated COVID related deaths, there may be thousands of children who may have lost one or both caregivers. Responsible steps one can take to support a child:
Help identify children who may need support.
Connect with 1098 child helpline services; they have a robust cadre & service.
Help avail central or state government schemes announced for orphaned children or for a single parent raising a child. These would provide for the much-needed financial assistance on a monthly basis.
Explore being a sponsor for a child's upbringing & education.
Be aware of the legal process followed by the State Adoption Resource Authority (SARA) and District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) with regards to adoption & guardianship including child consent and background verifications.
Resources
Child helpline services: 1098
An article by The Print on Legal Adoption
Interactive resources to educate children on online safety collated by Upepo
Online course to educate children on personal safety: Arpan
Resource Kit for Managing Anxiety in children
Home safety checklist from Arpan
Online safety checklist for educators: Arpan