CHILDLINE is a national 24 hour emergency outreach service for children in need of care and protection. CHILDLINE telephone number 1098 is a toll free helpline all over India. Initially started in Mumbai in June 1996, the facility has been extended to all cities and towns in India. CHILDLINE aims at reaching the children in distress between the age group of 0 to 18 years and provides rescue facilities, shelter, medical aid, repatriation, sponsorships, emotional support and guidance. The project was initiated in Kanyakumari district during February 2005 in collaboration with KSSS. The child in need of care and protection includes:
Street children
Children with no family support, orphaned, runaway and missing children
Children with families in crisis (economically weaker, affected by HIV-AIDS, children of commercial sex workers, prisoners whose parents are displaced persons or where the only earning member is ill)
Children who are abused financially, emotionally, physically and sexually and neglected
Children with special needs (mentally challenged, differently abled, affected by HIV-AIDS, etc.)
Children affected by disaster or conflict
Children who are being trafficked, and
Children in conflict with the law of the land.
Objectives of CHILDLINE
To reach out to every child in need of care and protection by responding to emergency calls on 1098
To provide a platform of networking amongst organizations and to provide linkages to support systems that facilitate the rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection
To advocate for services for children that are inaccessible, non-existent or inadequate
To create a family of NGOs and Government agencies working within the framework of a national vision and policy for children.
How does CHILDLINE Function? Any child or concerned adult can ring up CHILDLINE 1098 to seek help for a child in a crisis situation. The CHILDLINE team members talk to the caller on telephone to find out the whereabouts of the child and the nature of problem. After receiving this basic information, CHILDLINE team members reach out to the child. They help the child by linking up with the agency that can provide the necessary support. For example, if the child needs medical attention, she/he is taken to a public hospital and his/her case is explained to the authorities.
