Having trained nearly 41,000 personnel across child care institutions (CCIs), educational institutions, judicial academies and other welfare functionaries on child protection with a special focus on mental health since last June, the government has decided to complete training of all officials and caregivers in the 7,000 plus registered CCIs and observation homes within this year.

    Project SAMVAD steered by NIMHANS Bangalore and supported by the Ministry of Women and Child Development is cited to be a national initiative and integrated resource for child protection, mental health and psychosocial care. The focus of the project is to provide support, advocacy and mental health interventions for children in vulnerable circumstances.

    The programme has so far reached 28 states through not just training for individual personnel working on child protection but also through hundreds of group training and public sensitisation programmes for various stakeholders.

    Elaborating on the vision behind the project, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that the focus was to equip all those working and supporting vulenrable children with an understanding and resources to recognise signs, identify and provide assistance to children in need of mental health counselling and care.

link https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/officials-in-all-children-homes-to-be-trained-in-child-protection-focussing-on-mental-health-within-this-year/articleshow/81548131.cms

source : The Times of India