A spokesperson of the Directorate of Women and Child Development said here today that as per the provision of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 the department has decided to set-up Cradle Baby Reception Centres at Specific location at Zonal/Regional Hospitals, CHCs, Nursing Homes and the District Child Protection Units to receive the abandoned and vulnerable children. He said that the primary objective of such Cradle Baby Reception Centres is to rescue abandoned children and look after them with due care and affection till they are given in adoption.
He said that besides this, such Cradle Baby Reception Centres will enable safe abandonment of children by the families or biological parents, who do not wish to produce the child before Child Welfare Committee for relinquishing the children and do not wish to reveal their identity and otherwise abandon the child in total unsafe and unhygienic place.
He said that the Cradle Baby Reception Centres will be maintained under the supervision of the Officer-in charge of the respective Department and if any abandoned child is found in the Cradle Centre, then the will inform the concerned CWC immediately as well as the Specialized Adoption Agency (SAA). He said that Four Cradle Baby Reception Centres have been set up by the Directorate of Women and Child Development recently at New Special Ward 4th Floor Kamla Nehru Hospital Shimla, Emergency OPD Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital Shimla, Room No. 119 District Hospital Recong-Peo District Kinnaur, Room No. 532A Block E District Hospital Solan.
He said that apart from this, one Cradle Baby Reception Centres has been already functional in Room No. 600 District Hospital Mandi since December, 2016. The process of setting-up of Cradle Baby Reception Centres in other parts of the State is being pursued vigorously.