Shimla: To rescue abandoned children and look after them with due care and affection, the Directorate of Women and Child Development as per the provision of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 has decided to set-up Cradle Baby Reception Centres at Specific location at Zonal/Regional Hospitals, CHCs, Nursing Homes and the District Child Protection Units.

The Cradle Baby Reception Centres will enable safe abandonment of children by the families or biological parents, who do not wish to produce the child before Child Welfare Committee for relinquishing the children and do not wish to reveal their identity and otherwise abandon the child in total unsafe and unhygienic place.

Directorate of Women and Child Development spokesperson informed that Cradle Baby Reception Centres will be maintained under the supervision of the Officer-in charge of the respective Department and if any abandoned child is found in the Cradle Centre, then the centre will inform the concerned CWC immediately as well as the Specialized Adoption Agency (SAA).

The Directorate of Women and Child Development has recently set up four Cradle Baby Reception Centres at New Special Ward 4th Floor Kamla Nehru Hospital Shimla, Emergency OPD Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital Shimla, Room No. 119 District Hospital Recong-Peo District Kinnaur, Room No. 532A Block E District Hospital Solan.

One Cradle Baby Reception Centres has been already functional in Room No. 600 District Hospital Mandi since December, 2016. The process of setting-up of Cradle Baby Reception Centres in other parts of the State is being pursued vigorously.