Safe Childhood India

The categories of children facing neglect, separation from families, substance abuse, and those affected by emergencies clearly fall within the definition of Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) under Section 2(14) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The Act adopts a broad, child-centric approach and explicitly includes children who are abandoned, abused, neglected, living on the streets, affected by substance abuse, or rendered vulnerable due to disasters, conflicts, or humanitarian emergencies.

Mission Vatsalya, as a centrally sponsored umbrella scheme for child protection, is anchored in the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and seeks to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all vulnerable children. Although Mission Vatsalya does not always enumerate these categories separately, its scope covers prevention, rescue, care, rehabilitation, and reintegration of all children classified as CNCP under the Act. Therefore, children experiencing neglect, separation, addiction, or emergency-induced vulnerability are implicitly included within its operational framework.

Message

Including these classifications explicitly within Mission Vatsalya would enhance clarity, strengthen convergence among stakeholders, and ensure focused planning, budgeting, and monitoring. Such recognition would also reinforce the rights-based approach of the JJ Act and enable timely, family-based and community-based interventions for children facing heightened risks.