Workshop on Child Safety Enhancement for the Child Protection Committee Members at Bangalore on 5th to 10th of April 2019

The three days’ workshop for the Child Protection Committee (CPC) members belonging to the various Don Bosco Institutions in Karnataka was conducted in two batches from 5^th to 7^th April and 8^th to 10^th April 2019. The training intended to educate the members of the CPC on the duties, responsibilities and the importance of each member in protecting the children who are entrusted at their care in their respective fields. The training was conducted in Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore having 27 participants during the first batch and 17 members in the second batch.

The resource person for the training was Ms. Edwina Pereira, Child First Foundation, Bangalore. BREADS has facilitated the implementation of Child protection policy and establishment of the system for child protection in all the Don Bosco centres at Kerala and Karnataka. Preventing and responding to violence, exploitation and abuse is essential to ensuring children’s rights to survival, development and well-being. Children need to be paid attention and given protection not just because they are vulnerable rather they are the citizens of our nation and have their rights. Building a protective and secure environment for children at every space they occupy in the community is well essential for the healthy development of children. The training enhanced the knowledge of the members on various child abuses, exploitations, child rights, laws related to children and also the practical implications of policy at their respective organizations through planned and directed steps. The current scenario indicate the need to take the corrective step and preventive action for ensuring the safety of children whether they belong to the child care institutions, schools, own families or boarding homes. The adults have the crucial role in developing the effective mental ability in children to react, give opinions, voice concerns, participate and think critically for their right oriented growth and mental and emotional stability. The child rights are best protected when the adults who otherwise are the violators of child rights are transformed as protectors of rights. The training incorporated introduction to the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child), JJA (Juvenile Justice Act) and POCSO 2012 (The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act). Identification of accidental and non-accidental injuries/bruises on the parts of the body was an important part of the training which will help the parents or any person associated with a child to identify the chances of an abuse in the initial stage. The training was made effective through case study discussions, group activities, group discussions and games which helped the members to perceive and comprehend the situations from child’s point of view and thus to make more intense and impactful decisions while a child disclose an abuse. The child protection policy is to be implemented with effect from the new academic year 2019, June. The participants were distributed with the resource materials and handbooks for their future reference. At the end of the sessions, the groups from each organization prepared an action plan to implement the CPP in their respective institutes acknowledging the hazards/vulnerabilities confronted by children in their physical environment.