Jolted out of childhood: Gut-wrenching tales of Covid orphans in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Rehabilitating and ensuring a healthy and secure life for the children orphaned by Covid-19 will be an uphill battle for the authorities if necessary measures are not taken immediately.

Though the State and Central governments have announced monetary relief for such children, is it enough to cushion the impact of the pandemic on their lives? Experts don’t think so.

According to child-rights activists, these orphans are highly vulnerable to child marriage and trafficking. They also require psychological support as they are traumatised by the loss of their parents.

This is why rehabilitating them in a safe environment with family members or in child-care institutions and frequent monitoring of their well-being assumes significance.

But schemes should not remain on paper, but be implemented in letter and spirit, experts opine.

Tracking Covid orphans

Due to the underreporting of Covid deaths, especially in rural areas, there is a high possibility for such children to go unnoticed by the authorities.

Child-rights activists say that it is important to devise an effective tracking system to identify children orphaned by Covid so the benefits of government schemes reach them in time.

A Devaneyan, a child-rights activist, says orphaned children are not in a position to visit government departments, fill up forms, apply and submit documents to obtain the benefits of the schemes announced for them.

This where child-protection officers should prove their mettle.

They play a major role in identifying Covid orphans at the grassroot level and provide data to the State and Central governments.

In Tamil Nadu, however, the post of District Child Protection Officers (DCPO) in 50 per cent of the districts is handled by contractual workers, which will definitely affect their work efficiency, said Devaneyan.

V Ramaraj, member of State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), feels there is an urgent need to strengthen child-protection committees at all levels (village, panchayat, municipality, and corporation) and provide them with legal backing to ensure effective implementation of welfare schemes and to check crimes committed against children.

“Child-protection committees at the village level are formed on the basis of a Government Order (GO) and these committees exist only on paper. In order to fix accountability and guarantee their efficient functioning we need to grant them legal status,” said Ramaraj.

Counselling needed

Dr Lakshmi Vijaykumar, a psychiatrist, said that the authorities should take measures to help Covid orphans to overcome the trauma and insecurity caused by the loss of their parents.

If they are not counseled properly and provided guidance, the trauma might develop into mental health issues.

Focus on kinship care

Andrew Sesuraj, State convenor of the Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch, said the authorities should rehabilitate Covid orphans in kinship care.

“Institutional care is not conducive for children as it affects their physical growth, emotional health, and cognitive development. Efforts should be made to restore the children to any kind of kinship care, be it with their grandparents or extended families,” said Sesuraj.

Checking illegal adoption

The authorities should also prevent illegal adoption of these orphans. Those who know about such families where children have been orphaned must contact 1098 or the local police and relay the information. Adoption in India is allowed only under CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority) rules.

Regular monitoring of the rehabilitated children is equally crucial. Child Welfare Committees should continue to assess the well-being of the children on a regular basis to ensure they are not being ill-treated by their relatives or at child-care institutions.

Another important aspect is to guarantee that the allocated monetary relief under the welfare schemes reaches the children on a monthly basis.

“We have noticed children suffering when the financial relief awarded to them under different welfare schemes is delayed,” said Sesuraj.

How will they claim their due?

Child protection officers will have to step in. And for this, there is an urgent need to strengthen child-protection committees at all levels and provide them with legal backing, say experts.

Orphaned by Covid and struggling to make sense of a topsy-turvy world, these kids have little hope. They’re highly vulnerable, and will need more than promises of financial aid. Here’s what experts have to say