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 Child Development Unit
 Vision
To make Mauritius a Republic fit for Children through the implementation of policies and programmes geared towards promoting and improving the status, enhance life opportunities and by influencing Government policies to be child centered.
Mission
To ensure that the survival, protection, development and participation rights of the Mauritian child are upheld as per the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter of the Rights and Welfare of the Child whereby the best interests of the child shall be of primary consideration in and primary motivation for all policies, programmes and actions pertaining to children’s welfare.
Objectives
The Child Development Unit has as main objectives:
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To provide for Protection Services to victims of violence, abuse and neglect on a 24 hr 7 days basis.
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To provide for hotline service with respect to reporting of a case and counseling as appropriate.
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To provide victims with follow-up sessions to ensure recovery from trauma and thereafter their re-insertion in society.
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To prepare and support children victims of violence for legal encounters.
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To provide for Early Childhood Development services to the cohort of 0-3 years.
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To provide parents with life skills through a National Parental Empowerment Programme
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To provide Alternative care to abused children, ranging from temporary removal to shelter for children in distress, to foster caring and eventually, as a last resort, committal to a charitable institution.
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To provide Commercial Sexual Exploited victims with curative, rehabilitative and reintegrative services.
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To provide tardy declaration services to children who have not been declared within the prescribed time delay.
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To provide periodic review of placement of children victims of abuse and neglect.
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To act as Central Authority in International Child Abduction cases.
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To provide trained mentors to children seen to be in distress because of mild behavioural problems through a well spelt child Mentoring Programme.
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To provide community safety and community actions in Child Protection and Child Welfare in general through Community Child Protection Programme and outreach Programmes.
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To provide for informative, educational and communications campaigns on child rights/child development.
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Our Approach
| Working collaboratively to: |
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enforce the Child Protection Act 1994 and its attendant regulations whereby it is mandated by law to report to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare any case of suspected ill-treatment, abandonment, neglect, destitution, abuse, and sexual exploitation of children including Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
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Shape and influence programmes/ actions pertaining to child protection and development of children at both national and regional levels.
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Develop partnerships with other stakeholders, namely governmental institutions, Non-governmental institutions, community organizations that have at heart the best interests of the Mauritian Child.
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Reinforce the established networking system for the reporting / monitoring and evaluation of child abuse cases.
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Promote information, education and communication to the Mauritian citizens on child protection/ development services and facilities.
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Sensitize the public as to prevent and report any case of violence against children including child abuse and neglect. |
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Our Commitment
The Child Development Unit commits itself to improving the existing networking system for a better reporting, intervention and evaluating mechanism in Child Protection.
Its commitment also gears towards achieving community and social benefit for children through synchronized actions, research as appropriate and capacity building. To constantly assessing and reviewing the existing Child Protection Act 1994 to bring in necessary amendments in response to child violence including child abuse, neglect and trafficking should ensure that the best interests of the child are sustained in a constantly changing global environment.
The CDU is committed to effective advocacy in child protection, child development and child participation. The implementation of appropriate programmes and actions at national and regional level are secured through appropriate and adequate structures.
NOTE
The 4 major themes namely Protection, Survival, Development and Participation are operationalised through 5 distinct programmes also called sections.
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SERVICES OFFERED
| Protection |
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development & Family Welfare has the mandate and authority, to investigate and intervene in cases of suspected child abuse. The Child Protection Act 1994 (amended 1998) confers upon the Permanent Secretary or any public officer designated by him to apply for an emergency protection order in respect of a child who is at risk.
Where a District Magistrate is satisfied by information on oath that the Permanent Secretary has reasonable cause to believe that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, the District Magistrate issues an Emergency Protection Order.
The Emergency Protection Order confers the power upon the Permanent Secretary authority to inter-alia;
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Enter any premise specified in the order, where necessary by force, and search for the child, provided that the order or a copy thereof shall be produced to the occupier of the premises on request; |
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Remove or return the child to, or to prevent the child’s removal from, any place of safety; |
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Request police or medical assistance for the exercise of any power under the order. |
In the course of the investigation and assessment of the risk of maltreatment for the child, the Unit receives input from other professionals like Psychologists, Legal Advisers, Police Officers, and from non-professionals (e.g. parents, children, neighbors, relatives).
If the child is considered to be in danger, the Child Development Unit takes steps to ensure the child’s safety, namely through an application in the court for an Emergency Protection Order whose outcome may involve the removal of the child from his/her home and his/her placement in the temporary shelters of the Ministry.
The figures available at the Child Development Unit since April 1995 show an increase in the number of reported cases. However, it is difficult to ascertain whether there has been an increase in the number of cases or if reporting has become easier through the existing services, the introduction of new legislation or sensitization programmes.
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| Rehabilitation |
| Treatment and therapy |
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The Ministry offers counseling services to victims as well as to their families. |
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Children, victims of abuse, placed at the shelters, are provided with psychological support to facilitate their re-integration in society. |
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Monthly meetings are held with parents whose children are in the shelters to empower them socially and psychologically and thus preparing them for better parenting. |
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Children placed in shelters are provided with school and health facilities and they are made to participate in creative and recreative activities. |
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Whenever and wherever possible, family Preservation Programmes are encouraged.
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A Family Rehabilitation Programme is also available for children who have stayed for too long at the shelters. |
Residential Care Institution
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Children with utterly non-stable families are also placed in other Residential Care Institutions which provide more permanent residential facilities following the issue of Committal Orders. These institutions are Charitable Institutions/Non Governmental Organisations which work in collaboration with the Ministry and declared as place of safety as per the Child Protection Act. The Child Development Unit has a mandate to ensure that the institutions are operating within norms and standards for a place of safety and also to ensure that rehabilitation is undertaken between the children and their biological parents with a view of retuning them to their family.
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Foster Care System
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The Foster Care System aims at providing the opportunity to children victims of abuse and/or neglect to live in a substitute family on a temporary basis. The role of the foster parents is to give support to the child and help him to grow physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.
The ultimate goal of the Foster Care System is to provide support to the biological parents with a view to rehabilitate them and to help the child to reintegrate in his/her family.
The Foster Care System has been launched on a pilot basis in December 2002 and since 31st May, 2004 it has become a permanent project of the CDU. The system is monitored by a Foster Care Advisory Committee.
Since October 2002, 127 families have applied for registration as foster parents/foster families and 64 of them have been granted registration, 60 children have already been placed in 52 families.
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Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC)
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The protection of children also includes fight against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children. In this context, the Ministry implements a National Plan of Action for CSEC. Thus, the Ministry provides specialized services to victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation and also training for individuals who work with these children. A Drop-in-Centre to cater for recovery and rehabilitative needs of CSEC victims during the day is being converted into a residential one. A Joint Monitoring Committee with a Common Plan of Action with the Brigade des Mineurs is in place and ensures active follow-up on crack down operations, sensitization campaigns, and police patrolling in high risk areas and attending to cases of CSEC.
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| Child Development |
| Early Childhood Development (ECD) |
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The Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare has an additional responsibility to cater for children in the cohort of 0-3 years. A study was commissioned on provision of early childcare in 1996, which has been used as a reference for the elaboration of the policy paper.
In this respect, the National Early Childhood Development (ECD) policy paper (0-3 years) was officially presented in 1998. It is being implemented to improve the child’s overall development through the introduction and adoption of integrated and holistic approach to ECD. Seven key statements constitute the backbone of the National ECD Policy Paper.
| Policy Statement 1: |
Establishment of a system for Child Care in Mauritius. |
| Policy Statement 2: |
Establishment of a system for Accreditation and Quality Improvement for Child Care |
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Development of a training programme for personnel working in Early Child Development. |
| Policy Statement 4: |
Development of strategies of parental education and community awareness. |
| Policy Statement 5: |
Development of a curriculum framework for (0-3) years |
| Policy Statement 6: |
Equity and Access in the provision of early child services. |
| Policy Statement 7: |
Development of the concept of integrated services for early childhood. |
Based on this Policy Paper, an ECD Action Plan has been prepared. The Implementation of this Action Plan is being carried out by the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Section which was set up within the Child Development Unit (CDU) of the Ministry with a view to achieving the goals of the ECD Policy Paper.
The Institutions for Welfare and Protection of Children, Regulations 2000 under the Child Protection Act, with established norms and standards has been enacted in December 2000 to regulate childcare services including home-based facilities. It is mandatory for all Day Care Centres (DCCs) to be registered with the Ministry.
The enforcement of the Regulations 2000 is being ensured by Ministry’s officers through regular visits and refresher courses on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) 0-3 years.
Around 250 DCCs have applied for registration.
A Child Care Advisory Committee was set up to advise on the appropriate mechanisms, strategies, coordinated planning in the execution of ECD Programmes and establishing a sound working relationships amongst child care providers.
A Child Care Accreditation Bureau (CCAB) was set up in January 2001 and was reconstituted in June 2004.
The Accreditation of Child Care Centres in Mauritius Handbook (0-3 years) was launched on 20 November 2003.
The Child Care Accreditation Project was launched on 28 February 2005. Its implementation is being done on a voluntary pilot basis in 24 registered DCCs.
The CCAB has the responsibility to implement and manage the Accreditation System based on principles and standards established for quality care including Health and Nutrition. It has also the sole Authority to accredit a centre.
An Early Childhood Development Programme Guidelines (0-3 years) has been produced and launched on 20 November 2003. This Handbook is giving sound directions on caring services and teaching approaches emphasizing on play-based learning and child-centred pedagogy.
Training has been given due attention with a view to promoting capacity building of Child Care Personnel to ensure a good development perspective of child growth and individual differences thus facilitating the transition from DCCs to pre primary schools.
900 Caregivers / managers have received basic courses on ECCD (0-3 years) from 2000-2009.
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| National Parental Empowerment Programme |
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In line with the National Children’s Policy, a National Parental Empowerment Programme has also been worked out with a view to empowering parents with better parenting capabilities and emotional competences to handle both the young child and the adolescent.
| Objectives of the National Parental Empowerment Programme |
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To enhance the relationship between parents and children in general;
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To reduce and remove intergenerational gaps that leads to conflicts between parents and children
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To improve the parenting skills of parents particularly those faring in deprived areas, and are in disadvantaged circumstances;
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To empower parents with the capacity to manage and develop coping mechanism with regard to their family problems.
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To create, promote and sustain awareness and understanding of the rights and corresponding responsibilities of the child among parents.
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Types of Parental Empowerment Programmes
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Programmes designed to improve parenting in general, typically used by parents whose children are functioning normally but who want additional knowledge.
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Programmes focused on specific parenting issues, such as, substance abuse prevention, setting limits and appropriate discipline and dealing with anti social behaviour.
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Programmes aimed at specific populations of parents, such as, parents with children at critical periods of development, single parents, parents with low incomes.
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Programmes targeted to specific populations, such as parents of children with disabilities.
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| “Ecole Des Parents” |
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In an attempt to provide in a systematic manner for comprehensive and coherent parental empowerment, the Ministry has developed the “Ecole Des Parents” which is an offshoot of the National Parental Empowerment Programme.
The “Ecole Des Parents” in a nutshell portends to offer adequate and appropriate information regarding child development in general and also prevention from all forms of child violence. Parents will also be apprised of the support services available to respond to the various needs of parents during their different periods of parenting, ranging from pre-birthing to late adolescence through early childhood.
In order to provide for a common programming regarding parenting, a trainer manual and kit for intervention has been developed in consultation with experts.
The “Ecole Des Parents” are conducted in the evening for at most thirty parents, per batch, who will follow 16 sessions over a period of two months, twice per week, as from 18.30 Hrs to 20.30 hrs. The sessions are conducted in Social Welfare Centers and Community Centers around the island.
The main topics are health, nutrition, rights and responsibilities of children, child violence and the symptoms of child violence and parenting and challenges of parenting at different developmental stages of children from pre-birth to 18 years.
The Ministry has already launched three “Ecole des Parents” at Tranquebar, La Valette Bambous and Riche Mare and three additional will be launched by the end of 2010.
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| Creativity Centre |
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A Creativity Centre for children has been set up at Mahebourg. The aim of the project is to have a Creativity Centre similar to the “Bal Bhawan” of India, to serve as a focal point for creativity, recreation and leisure activities for children. This project received the support of the Government of India through the technical assistance of experts.
In August 2002, 10 children accompanied by 2 teachers from the Bal Bhawan, Delhi, participated in a cultural exchange programme in Mauritius. The purpose behind is to strengthen the ties between Mauritius and India. Tours were organized for them and they even performed in Rodrigues.
In November 2002, 6 children from the Kids & Teen clubs, 1 child from the Mascot Children and 1 from Rodrigues accompanied by 2 escorts, participated in an Integration Camp Programme at the Bal Bhawan, Delhi.
Children learned a lot about creative activities like Jal Sanjhi, flower making, wall painting & Rangoli etc. Tours visit was organized for them.
Along with that, the following, International Events are being celebrated:
World Poetry Day
Day of the African Child
Universal Children's Day
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| Tardy Declaration of birth |
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A campaign for Tardy Declaration of Birth was launched by this Ministry in December 2000 in both Mauritius and Rodrigues, with a view to identify undeclared children. The Ministry, acting as a facilitator has also set up a Special Committee in 2001 with a view to speeding up the Tardy Declaration procedures.
As at December 2008, some 699 (adults/children) have been reported out of which 554 children have already been declared. |
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| Prevention |
| Child Protection Mechanism |
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The Ministry stresses a lot in multi-sectoral approach with a view to deal with cases of abuse in a more co-ordinated way. For this purpose the cooperation of the key ministries like the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Security, the Police Department and the NGOs is sought. In line with that, a Child Protection Unit (CPU) was set up at Floreal in 2000 where, officers of the Ministry in collaboration with the Police take record of statements and carry out interviews . The main purpose of the CPU is to provide a safe and conducive environment to children as well as enable victims to voice out their problems and minimize their trauma.
A Training for trainers programme on Child protection issues and psychosocial rehabilitation of victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation was launched on 5 May 2003. The project targeted mainly police officers, street workers, educational officers and NGOs among others.
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| International Child Abduction |
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Mauritius adhered to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in March 1993. The Child Development Unit of the Ministry, designated as the Central Authority, caters for children victims of international child abduction. The main objectives of the Convention are to secure the prompt return of children wrongfully retained in another state and that the right of custody and access under the law of one contracting state are effectively respected in another state.
The Ministry may seek the assistance of the police and the Probation Office to obtained information on the whereabouts and the social background of the child and may apply to the Courts for the return of the child as well as securing the effective exercise of the right of access to the child. To date there are 41 cases of international abduction that have been reported at the level of the Ministry.
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| Community Child Protection Programme (CCPP) |
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The Ministry has launched in 2007 the CCPP to act as a formal forum to ensure community development with respect to child protection and welfare. This programme will allow for interplay of dynamic top down and bottom up forces to provide for equilibrium in an otherwise open system, and as such will be a recipient of much information, education and communication campaign as well as empowerment processes.
The main components of the programme are as follows:
| District Child Protection Committee |
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This committee, comprising of stakeholders, both of private and public sectors, involved in children’s issues, will take cognizance, discuss, review and monitor situation/conditions leading to abuse and neglect of children within the district.
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| Community Child Watch Committee |
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The main task if this committee set within the immediate locality, will be to act as a surveillance mechanism in cases of child abuse.
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| Case Conferences at Family Support Bureau |
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Officers of the Ministry meet on a regular basis to review and monitor the handling of cases at regional level so as to lessen trauma and trigger early rehabilitation of children victims of abuse and neglect.
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| Area Child Protection Committee |
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It is an inter-agency forum for agreeing on how the different services and professional groups would cooperate to safeguard the interests of children in specific areas and to ensure better collaboration and coordination in the handling of cases. This Committee usually comprises of Police Officer, Probation Officers, Social Security Officers, Court Officer,s School Social Workers, Medical Social Workers, Psychologists and Officers of the Child Development Unit.
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| National Child Protection Committee |
| This high level Committee will coordinate and monitor the work of all the other Committees falling under the Community Child Protection Programme at a national level to ensure the protection and development of children in the country. |
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