Child welfare council sets up temporary care home in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Covid-19 cases rise unpredictably, Kerala state council for child welfare in association with women and child development department has arranged a temporary care home for children in Thiruvananthapuram. The care home is in addition to the child-care centre at its headquarters at Thycaud.
The new facility, which can house more than 50 kids, is arranged at a hostel building in LMS compound.Children up to the age of 17 years will be accommodated in the building. The service of ayah and nurses are provided by the child welfare council. The facility was started considering the possibility of children being left alone when both parents have to be admitted for Covid-19 treatment.
“Children are admitted to the centre based on the direction from the child welfare committee. And recently, a few children were admitted to the child-care centre at Thycaud. Due to safety reasons, a separate quarantine facility is arranged for these kids. But, it will not be sufficient if more children are admitted. Hence, the temporary care home was arranged in consultation with women and child development department authorities. Food and treatment will be arranged from the centre at Thycaud,” said Shiju Khan J S, chairman of child welfare council. There are 75 kids at the centre at Thycaud. Covid protocol is followed at the centre as per the directions of the health department. The staff are provided PPE kits while visiting the quarantine facility.
“The ayahs and nurses are working selflessly for the children. Some of the ayahs at the centre did not go home for more than a month to take care of the children. The Covid test for children will be conducted by the health department,” Khan said. The child welfare council, which runs anganwadis and institutions in other districts, had earlier proposed to convert the centres as isolation facilities for patients under treatment for Covid. These institutions will be converted to accommodation facilities for children based on demand.
The council has also started a district-level monitoring cell for helping kids suffering from depression or stress due to lockdown. Children who need counselling may contact Thanal, an initiative of the child welfare council, at toll-free number 1517.