In its bid to ensure the safety and security of children in all childcare institutions in the national Capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government has issued detailed guidelines and has instructed all stakeholders for strict compliance of the safety norms. According to Women and Child Development (W&CD) department of the Delhi Government, there are 107 childcare institutions including 14 Government-run centres in the city.
The department has issued an order on the guidelines and compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), saying that all child care institutions must have adequate number of security officers, guards, CCTV cameras and fire extinguishers to ensure safety and security of the children in such institutions.
“Adequate number of CCTV cameras must be installed at prominent places of the child care institutions, specifically at the entry and exit gates, perimeter walls, staircase, playgrounds, dining room, entertainment room and administration block so that the activities of the children are monitored effectively,” the order issued by the Government stated.
The W&CD department has made it amply clear that the superintendents in-charge must prominently display important phone numbers of the nearest police stations, fire stations, CATS control room, toll free child helpline number, doctor-on-call/nurse, juvenile justice board among others.
The department said there should be an assembly point in every child care institutions where all children and officers are required to gather in case of any emergency situation.
“High-mast flood lights must be installed along/near the perimeter/boundary walls. Perimeter/boundary walls must also have barbed wire for the purpose of safety,” the order stated. It also talked about steps to be taken in the case of fire or earthquake or other similar incident immediately.
“In case of such incidents, child care institutions must ensure evacuation of children from all rooms through all available exits to a safe location at a common point outside the building and keep children under vigil,” an official of the department said.