HISTORY OF CHILDLINE

CHILDLINE began on June 20th. 1996 in Mumbai as a field action project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) after four years of planning with MTNL, NGOs and street youth and children of Mumbai.

In 1998, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment organized a workshop to determine the need for national phone service for children. It was then decided that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment would support the replication of CHILDLINE across India in a phased manner. Now CHILDLINE today is operational in 68 cities. CHILDLINE thus became national with an identity a common logo, number and color across the country.


CHILDLINE INDIA FOUNDATION (CIF) INITIATIVES :

In May,1999, CHILDLINE was registered as a project of the Ministry of SJ and CHILDLINE INDIA FOUNDATION was appointed as the nodal agency to anchor and support the development of childline services across the country. It acts as a link between the Governing Board and the NGOs running the CHILDLINE service at the city level. CIF reports directly to the Governing Board and implements all decisions taken by the Board. The foundation not only sets up the service and facilitates the effective functioning of the CHILDLINE service across the country but also works towards sensitizing the community to child rights issues. It also scrutinizes applications for funds, conducts follow-up with the Ministry, and ensures disbursal to the CHILDLINE cities. The CIF advocates for changes in policy and the law on issues related to children. The key functions of the CIF include : Facilitation & Networking, Research & Documentation, Awareness & Advocacy & Policy & Law. The primary function of the CIF is to ensure efficient service delivery by CHILDLINE throughout the country.

HPVHA INITIATIVES:

CIF visited Shimla on 22nd. and in meeting on 24th. March,2006, from CIF Mumbai, HPVHA has been appointed as a collaborative organization for setting up of CHILDLINE project at district Shimla only and P.R.C. (Population Research Centre) of H.P. University appointed as a Nodal organization, which is headed by Mr. S.K. Sharma. The toll free No. 1098 has been installed in HPVHA on 31st. March,2006.

THE CONCEPT :

CHILDLINE is providing a phone based emergency services through 1098……. A phone number that spells hope for millions of children across Shimla District. CHILDLINE is India’s first 24 hour, free emergency phone service for children in need of aid and assistance. Any concerned adult or a child in need of help can dial 1098, the toll free number to access our services. CHILDLINE not only respond to the emergency needs of Children but also link them to the services for their long-term care and rehabilitation. CHILDLINE staff member respond to calls effectively, and refers the cases to the relevant organization. Maintain the documents related to record of calls and processes related to CHILDLINE. Proper maintenance of documentation will help CHILDLINE FUNCTION better.

CHILDLINE also provide a phone-based emergency service :-

robust outreach programs (especially in disturbed, conflict-prone and natural calamity hit areas).
a child-centered community development model (with focus on the preventive approach) especially in rural areas.
initiatives to develop new services, organization and leaders in the Child Rights Systems in areas where none exist.

OBJECTIVES :

To respond to children in emergency situations.
To provide the telephonic counseling.
To respond to children undergoing any sort of exploitation like child labour, street children, child victims of the flesh trade, children in institutions etc.
To intervene the cases and match the available resources according to case requirement.
To provide needful facilities like shelter homes, education, medical assistance, repartriation, emotional support and guidance etc.
To create a structure and environment which ensures the protection of the rights of child as mentioned or ratified in the UN convention on the Rights of the child and Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
To provide a platform for networking amongst organization and also create a child friendly relation.
To create awareness among masses about Child Rights & about the activities of Childline.
To being together Govt. & Voluntary Organization for making the environment & System to work according to the need of time and direct the nation builders toward a more secured path.

CHILDLINE STRUCTURE :

Role of the Organisations :

1. Nodal Organisation.
2. Collaborative Organisation.
3. Support Organisation.

Role of Nodal Organisation : P.R.C. (Population Research Centre) of H.P. University is authorized to work as a Nodal Organisation. It’s a basically an academic institution. Nodal organization provides training facilities to the Childline team members, volunteers etc. It comprises of one member i.e. the city coordination. Its main function is networking and liasoning with Allied System, documentation, research work, weekly visits to the collaborative and support organizations, carries out case follow-up and keep a check on the problems related to connectivity of 1098 service.

Role of Collaborative Organisation : H.P.V.H.A. in New Shimla is known as collaborative organization and works in coordination with Nodal, Supportive agencies, NGOs and the Allied System. All phone calls received by our organization. Major functions of this organization include case intervention and follow-up referral documentation with other NGOs, handling the administration and finances, phone testing, outreach/ awareness and conduct open-house sessions.

Support Organisation : It receives calls from the collaborative organization and provides follow-up on a call, based on its area of operation. The support organization assists in publicity and testing of phones in the City, training research and documentation. The primary eligibility criteria for the support organizations include :

- Extensive outreach with children.
- 24 hours Shelter or Drop in Centre.
- Infrastructure of the organization in terms of transport facilities, staff and services for children.

Training for Allied Systems : The Police, Health Care System, Judicial System,
Education System, Labour Department Media, Department of Tele-communications, Corporate Sector.

Outreach Programmes : Outreach/Awareness programme twice in a week to
strengthen its network and improve the quality of services.

Open-house programme : Once in a month CHILDLINE conducts open-house programme. The important focus of open-house is streets and colonies of the city.

NGO meet : CHILDLINE Shimla organizes district level NGO meet once in a week.

INTERVENTION :

There are some common basic steps to remember while responding to calls. Every child or concerned adult calling 1098 places their trust in CHILDLINE by asking for assistance. The need to ensure that the response to these calls promptly, effectively and also need to actively follow-up on each call.




Intervention Assistance Calls :
These calls require active response and follow-up. These are as follows :-

- Medical.
- Shelter.
- Repartriation.
- Emotional Support and Guidance.
- Death related calls.
- Abuse/Rescue.
- Sponsorship.
- Missing Children.
- Information and referral to services.

Information about CHILDLINE and Volunteers Other Calls :

- Silent calls.
- Phone Testing Calls.
- Administrative Calls.
- Blank Calls.
- Crank/Fun/Abusive Calls.
- Follow-up Calls.
- Wrong Numbers.

Every Child/ Caller dialing 1098 wants to say something would like CHILDLINE to do something. Having put their trust in CHILDLINE, need to respect that trust by effectively responding to calls.

EXISTING STATUS OF CHILDLING SHIMLA :

CHILDLINE Shimla actively participating in Childline project being approved by the Ministry of Women & Child Development. CIF Mumbai team visited Shimla on 16th. June,2006 to give an In-house training for sound perusal of Childline activities at Shimla District.

At the beginning of Childline Shimla will be operating from morning 10:00 a.m to 8.00 p.m. We proceed on with the following schedule in near future :-

Preparation of all awareness material.
Visit to : - Schools
- PCO
- Shelter Homes
- Public Places
- Slums
- Concerned Adults
- Police


Networking with Allied Systems.
Going for 24 hrs. telephonic services to its earliest.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where even a child with a secure family is not safe enough from abuse and breach of rights. Street children, with no shelter, no family, and no protection are especially vulnerable. And when their rights are denied, which happens quite often, they have no one to complain to, or to help them. There were a large number of services that aimed at protecting children’s rights, but they either remained untapped or were not popularized well enough for the street children to start using them.

CHILDLINE Shimla will definitely work for the immediate problems of Children in difficult circumstances and make arrangements for long term rehabilitation and better quality of life.