Coronavirus: SC takes note of condition of children homes

The Supreme Court, on its own, took note on Friday of the condition of the children in protection, juvenile and foster or kinship homes across the country amid the coronavirus outbreak and issued directions to the state governments and various other authorities to protect them.

The top court said as the COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying in the country, it is important that urgent measures are taken on priority basis to prevent the spread of the virus to child care institutions (CCIs), the children in need of care and protection (CNCP), children in contact with the law (CiCWL) in observation homes and children in foster and kinship care.

It said the juvenile justice boards (JJBs) should consider steps to release all children alleged to be in conflict with law residing in observation homes on bail, unless there are clear and valid reasons not to do so.

A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta said, "This petition has been listed suo motu because of the COVID-19 pandemic which is sweeping the country. There are children who need care and attention or children in conflict with law who are kept in various types of homes."
It said there are also children kept in foster and kinship care and "in these circumstances, it was felt that the interest of these children should be looked into. The interest of these children, all of whom fall within the ambit of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, should be protected...."