‘Child Protection’ is about protecting children from or against any perceived or real danger or risk to their life, their personhood and childhood. It is about reducing their vulnerability to any kind of harm and ensuring that no child falls out of the social safety net and that those who do, receive necessary care, protection and support so as to bring them back into the safety net. While protection is a right of every child, some children are more vulnerable than others and need special attention. The Government recognizes these children as ‘children in difficult circumstances’, characterized by their specific social, economic and geo-political situations. In addition to providing a safe environment for these children, it is imperative to ensure that all other children also remain protected. This is because Child protection is integrally linked to every other right of the child.

The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) has significantly contributed to the realization of Government/State responsibility for creating a system that will efficiently and effectively protect children. Based on the cardinal principles of “protection of child rights” and “best interest of the child”, ICPS is achieving its objectives to contribute to the improvements in the well being of children in difficult circumstances, as well as to the reduction of vulnerabilities to situations and actions that lead to abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment and separation of children from their families.