Child Friendly Kits: Carrying Care, Protection & Joy To Every Child

10 year old Seema ¹ was sexually assaulted by four men in her village. After filing the FIR with the local police we had to take her to the district hospital for medical examination. It was a long and grueling day. We had to travel in a bus for more than an hour, we waited at the hospital for our turn. Seema was restless and anxious. She was thoroughly bored as we waited to complete all the tests. To keep her engaged and divert her attention we had to let her play a game on the mobile phone, gave her sweets, narrated a story and tried to make her laugh. Both Seema and the team were exhausted by the end of the day.

The Protection of Children against Sexual Offences act (POCSO), mentions in details the need for child friendly procedures and systems to reduce the trauma of the child victim. In our experience of handling cases of child sexual abuse we notice that children have to spend long waiting hours before the Police arrives to record the statement, at the hospital before and during medical examination and at the court during the trial. Not to mention all the other procedures in between.They get anxious during travel from one location to another. They get bored, fidgety and exhausted waiting for their turn. There are times when children do not want to talk. There is a limit to how much we can converse with the child and keep the child engaged positively during these waiting periods.

As Support Persons for the children (as per POCSO Act) we ensure that the child doesn’t feel the pressure and trauma during the entire process of statement recording, medical examination and trial. While we support the child during the procedures we asked ourselves, how can we reduce the trauma for this child during the long waiting periods? How can we keep them engaged in a way that their minds are fresh and active? How do we conserve our energies so that we can actively work with other systems to ensure the best interest of the child?

One could look at making these places child friendly. Have a waiting room equipped with toys, books etc to help the child. But how many spaces can we invest in? And how do we look at maintaining these spaces? Who will man them? Who will ensure that the child has access to these toys and books? We had to think of something that is low cost, low maintenance and easy to access any time.

This thought provoked the idea of a ‘Child Friendly Kit‘. We started thinking what would children need during these waiting periods. We reflected on the things that we had to do to keep Seema occupied. Stories, colors, games and food were the things that worked. We started thinking how can we ensure that we provide all of the above to all the child victims who come in contact with us. The answer was to have a simple bag, just as families would prepare when travelling with a child. The bag would contain things that we need for the child during the waiting period. Toys, books, color pens, play dough, video games, food, water and so on. Our ‘Child Friendly Kit’is a simple sling bag that can be carried by social workers, policemen or anyone else accompanying the child along with other essentials for case work. The kit is targeted at children aged 6 to 14 years. We realize that there is a need for a separate kit for other age groups.We are currently working on that.

In addition to the above we have included anatomically correct dolls that are not a part of this kit but can help support persons, the police, the magistrate and the health personnel to help the child explain the nature of abuse.Using the anatomically correct dolls they can facilitate a dialogue with the children and ensure that children are not uncomfortable expressing the nature of abuse they have experienced. The dolls can help the child while recording the statement and narrating the incidence to the police and other authorities.

We will place these bags at the District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), in selected police stations and NGOs. The first child friendly kit will be presented to the Thane Police Commissioner and the DCPUs by early next month.

We realize that we need more and more child friendly spaces, but till that becomes a reality we need to get the mountain to Mohammad. We want to encourage individuals and organisations working with children to use this kit and give us feedback so that we improve its utility. If individuals and organisations replicate this idea, we would like to hear their experiences and approach. What are the additional things they have included in the kit? What worked for children and what did not ? We hope that other organisations and individuals working with children embrace this simple idea and share their knowledge with us in enhancing the utility of this kit.

1. Name Changed