The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) is a government initiative in India. It focuses on ensuring the safety of children, especially those in need of care and protection, juveniles in conflict with the law, and other vulnerable children. Its main objective is to establish a centralized framework for overseeing and standardizing existing and developing child protection schemes in the country. It was proposed in 2006 and implemented in 2009. The ICPS is administered at the state level by state child protection committees and societies and at the district level by district child protection societies and other relevant institutions. 

The Integrated Child Protection Scheme is an important topic for the UPSC Exam Preparation; it comes under the Welfare Schemes under the General Studies Paper-2 (Mains). Join our Online classes for UPSC, the best online coaching for UPSC CSE.

Also, check out the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) here.

What is Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)?

The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) is centrally sponsored. It is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Government of India, at all Indian levels. This program specifically aims to protect vulnerable children and build a protective environment for children in difficult circumstances. The ICPS program is implemented through the Government-Civil Society Partnership.

Objectives of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)

The Integrated Child Protection Scheme has the following objectives;

• Institutionalizing essential services at national, state, and district levels. To strengthen necessary structures for ICPS implementation.
• Enhancing capacity at all levels and for all stakeholders involved in ICPS, from administrators to local bodies and police.
• Establishing a comprehensive database for child protection services, including a child trafficking system, to enhance ICPS effectiveness.
• Conducting holistic research and documentation in the field of child protection.
• Strengthening child protection at the family and community levels and promoting preventive measures for children's safety.
• Ensuring timely and appropriate inter-sectoral response, coordination, and networking with relevant systems.
• Raising public awareness and educating on child rights, protection, vulnerabilities, and availability of child protection services.

Read an article on Child Labour in India here.

Guiding Principles of IPSC

• Child protection is a primary responsibility of the family, supported by the community, government, and civil society.
• Government has an obligation to ensure a range and continuum of services at all levels.
• Children are best cared for in their own families and have a right to family care and parenting by both parents.
• Children's right to privacy and confidentiality should be protected.
• Each child should be treated equally and dignified, regardless of circumstances or background.
• Prevention and reduction of vulnerabilities are central to child protection outcomes.
• There is a need to shift the focus of interventions from institutionalization to more family and community-based alternatives for care.
• Planning and implementation of child protection policies and service delivery should be child-centred.
• Services for children should be provided by skilled and professional staff.
• A customized service delivery approach is required to respond to local needs.
• An efficient and effective child protection system requires transparent management and decision-making, accountable and responsible individuals and institutions, and performance reports at all service levels.
• Performance reports should be made public, including for children, through child-friendly reports.

Significance and Benefits of Integrated Child Protection Scheme

The ICPS is a much-needed program in child protection and development. The significance of the ICPS can be understood under the following points:

• It will properly address the long-standing issue of child adoption in India.
• ICPS helps enforce and properly implement all the laws and guidelines related to children.
• The ICPS will help orphan children and all other children in need to get a proper home with the support of CARA.
• The scheme will also ensure proper rehabilitation of child drug abuse victims, the victims of Child trafficking, and also juvenile offenders.
• ICPS helps strengthen the off-grid child protection infrastructure by creating awareness and sensitizing families and society.

Also, check out the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) here.

Target Groups of Integrated Child Protection Scheme

The ICPS activities are focused primarily on children in need of care and protection. It also targets children in conflict (according to the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000) and also children who came in contact with the law either directly (as a victim or a witness) or due to any other circumstances.

Other target groups of the ICPS include

• Children of families at risk and vulnerable children.
• Children of excluded groups such as migrants, extremely poor, SC/ST/OBCs, and minorities.
• Children affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, drug abuse victims, beggars, trafficked and sexually exploited children, and all the other vulnerable groups.

Activities of Integrated Child Protection Scheme

• Mapping needs and services for children and families at risk
• Strengthening knowledge base, awareness and advocacy
• Establishing an integrated, live, web-based database on children
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Preparing Child Protection plans at all levels – state, district, block and village
• Strengthening service delivery mechanisms and improving the quality of services provided
• Promoting and strengthening non-institutional family-based care programme
• Developing capacity of service providers
• Building partnerships for Child Protection at all levels and strengthening linkages with other bodies and institutions

Integrated Child Protection Scheme: Service Delivery Structure

For better timely and effective implementation of the ICPS, its service delivery structure is divided into a three-tier structure:

• District Level
• State Level
• Central Level

District Level

Also, check Integrated Child Development Services(ICDS) here.

State-Level

Read an article on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) here!

Central Level

Read an article on the Mid-day Meal Scheme here!

Initiatives under Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)

There are five sub-schemes under the ICPS.

Anganwadi Service Scheme

• Renamed Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme and is implemented by the State/UT administration.
• The Anganwadi Centers are the implementation centres of this scheme.
• Six services are provided under this scheme
  • Supplementary Nutrition
  • Pre-school / Non-formal education.
  • Nutrition and health education.
  • Immunization
  • Health checkup
  • Referral services to children(0-6 years), pregnant women and lactating mothers. Women.
• The Poshan Tracker captures real-time data on the implementation of the Anganwadi Service Scheme.

The bottom 3 services are provided by the NHRM and Public Health Infrastructure.

Read an article on Child Labor Prohibition Act here!

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a centrally sponsored, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme of the Government of India.

• Under this scheme, a cash incentive of 5000 rupees is being provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers in 3 instalments.
• PMMVY was launched on 1 January 2017.
• Maternity benefits under this scheme are available to the beneficiaries for the first living child.

National Creche Scheme

It is a centrally sponsored scheme that was formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers.

• Aim- To primarily nurture the children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years belonging to the working mothers.
• The fund-sharing scheme under this scheme is as follows

Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG)

SAG is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Ministry of Women And Child Development (MWCD).Adolescent girls in the age group of 11-14 years. Launched in 2011 Previously known as SABLA or Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for the Empowerment of Adolescent Girls. In March 2021, it was included under the Mission Poshan 2.0

Objective- To offer a supportive and conducive environment for the self-development of adolescent girls.

POSHAN Abhiyaan

POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan, or National Nutrition Mission (NNM), was launched on 8th March 2018 on International Women’s Day.

• Aim- To address malnutrition as a priority and to end it soon.
• Target Group- Children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

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Way Forward

• Child protection and child rights are often overlooked in public policy formulation: Children are often seen as passive beneficiaries of public policy rather than active participants in their development. This can lead to policies that are not child-centred or need to address children's needs adequately.
• The ICPS is a policy intervention with the potential to improve child rights and protection in India: The ICPS is a comprehensive scheme that addresses a wide range of child protection issues. It includes prevention, care, protection, and rehabilitation. It is also designed to be implemented at the local level, ensuring that it is responsive to the needs of children in different communities.
• The ICPS has a comprehensive structure that will ensure its implementation and justice for children: The ICPS has a clear mandate, a well-defined structure, and a strong monitoring and evaluation framework. This will help ensure that the scheme is implemented effectively and delivers on its goals.
• It is important to understand that more than policy formulation is needed. The ICPS must be implemented in letter and spirit to achieve its goals: The ICPS is a valuable policy intervention, but it is only as good as its implementation. The scheme must be implemented in letter and spirit to protect children's rights and ensure their well-being.

Download the PDF on the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) notes for UPSC Exam here.

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