Question

What policies and actions were in place to ensure children’s safety? How would you describe these to prospective parents to help them feel that their child would be secure in the environment?

Answer 1

Children’s safety is ensured in different ways in different societies depending on various factors. These factors could be the level of crime against children in that societal set up or the level of vulnerability assessed. For instance, In India, the POCSO Act has come into play after repeated sexual crimes against children have occurred. This incorporates the different crimes and their corresponding punishments as well as trial policies. This also includes the fact that all the trial procedures with children have to be carried out in the most child friendly manner. This is mostly based on a client-centred type approach whereby the best interest of the victim is kept in mind while carrying out all the legal proceedings. To ensure that the children are secure in their environment, the parents can be given a perspective about the different provisions the government has in place for the same. Moreover, schools nowadays have been forced to take extra precautionary measures in order to ensure safety of students. This includes installation of more CCTV cameras and better networking with the school transportation systems in place. Also, punitive measures are being condemned by various societies and the teachers as well as other school authorities are encouraged to create an emotionally enabling for students to flourish and identify their true potential.