ChildSafety – Delhi to Launch Mapping Drive to Support Vulnerable Children

ChildSafety – The Delhi government is preparing to begin a comprehensive citywide exercise in April aimed at identifying children in vulnerable situations, connecting them with welfare services, and increasing public awareness about the child helpline number 1098. The initiative is expected to focus particularly on underserved communities, where access to support systems often remains limited.

Focus on Slum Areas and Community Awareness

The Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), working alongside several non-profit organisations, plans to carry out outreach campaigns across slum clusters. These efforts will include direct engagement with residents to inform them about available child protection services and how to access assistance during emergencies. The campaign is also designed to build trust within communities and encourage reporting of child-related concerns.

Officials believe that improving awareness at the grassroots level is essential to ensuring that children at risk are identified early and provided timely support. By involving local organisations, the government aims to strengthen last-mile delivery of services.

Data Highlights Gaps in Reporting

Government figures indicate that after the child helpline was merged with the emergency number 112 in 2023, a total of 218,699 complaints were recorded between 2023 and 2025. Out of these, 14,684 cases were escalated to District Child Protection Units (DCPUs).

The cases covered a range of issues, including child abuse, requests for counselling, reports of missing children, and family-related disputes involving minors. Child abuse accounted for 4,249 cases, while 1,951 cases required counselling support. Additionally, 1,984 complaints were related to missing children, and 1,114 involved family conflicts affecting children.

Despite the volume of complaints, experts suggest that the integration with the emergency helpline may have unintentionally reduced direct reporting through dedicated child protection channels.

Concerns Raised by Civil Society

Sanjay Gupta, director of Chetna NGO, pointed out that while the merger with the 112 helpline improved accessibility, it also led to fewer direct registrations specific to child-related issues. According to him, many callers now use the emergency number without their concerns being fully documented under child protection systems, creating potential gaps in data and response.

A recent meeting between non-governmental organisations and the WCD department resulted in a multi-stakeholder consultation. The discussion focused on improving coordination between government bodies and civil society groups, with the shared goal of making the city safer and more responsive to children’s needs.

Operational Challenges Identified

Officials from the department acknowledged that the consultation was prompted by emerging challenges within the child protection framework. Among the key concerns are a noticeable rise in missing children cases and difficulties related to documentation, especially during Aadhaar enrolment processes.

Such documentation barriers often prevent children from accessing government schemes and educational opportunities. Addressing these issues has been identified as a priority in the upcoming mapping and outreach exercise.

Efforts to Bring Children Back to School

Alongside the mapping initiative, the WCD department is collaborating with Samagra Shiksha Delhi and various NGOs to identify children who are currently out of school. The goal is to facilitate their enrolment and ensure they remain within the formal education system.

Officials say that these combined efforts are part of a broader strategy to close systemic gaps in child welfare services. By linking education, protection, and community awareness, the government hopes to create a more integrated support system for children across the city.

The upcoming campaign is expected to provide clearer insights into the scale of vulnerability among children in Delhi and help authorities design more targeted interventions in the future.