INTRODUCTION:

The trainee social worker from Kaziranga University has been placed in Childline Tinsukia
for internship. The trainee placed in different activities of Childline. The main purpose of the
internship is to learn and develop the skills of social work profession and also learn about the
structure as well as the objectives of the agency.

The trainee social worker was placed for one month field work activities. The trainee involved
in different activities and got various experiences which going to help the trainee in future in
the field of social work profession.

ABOUT THE AGENCY:

Childline is a platform bringing together the Ministry of Women & Child Development,
Government of India, Department of Telecommunications, street and community youth, non-
profit organisations, academic institutions, the corporate sector and concerned individuals.
CHILDLINE is India's first 24-hour of the day, 365 days of the year free and emergency
phone service for children in need of aid and assistance. Whether you are a concerned adult or
a child, you can dial 1098, the toll free number to access our services. CHILDLINE operates
in 200 cities by 'partner organizations' - a range of large, medium, and small child rights
agencies. Locally, they run the full CHILDLINE service weaving 1098 into their
organizational canvases. Nationally, they make up the spine of CHILDLINE.

VISION:

A child - friendly nation that guarantees the rights and protection of all children.

MISSION:

CHILDLINE will reach out to every child in need and ensure their rights and protection
through the Four Cs.

 CONNECT through technology to reach the 'last mile'.

 CATALYSE systems through active advocacy.

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  COLLABORATE through integrated efforts between children, the state, civil society,
corporates and community to build a child friendly social order.

 COMMUNICATE to make child protection everybody's priority.

THE OBJECTIVES:

 To reach out to every child in need of care and protection by responding to

emergencies on 1098.

 Awareness about CHILDLINE 1098 amongst every Indian child.

 To provide a platform of networking amongst organisations and to provide linkages to

support systems that facilitate the rehabilitation of children in need of care and
protection.

 To work together with the Allied Systems (Police, Health Care, Juvenile Justice,
Transport, Legal, Education, Communication, Media, Political and the Community) to
create child friendly systems.

 To advocate services for children that are inaccessible or non-existent.

 To create a body of NGOs and Government organisations working within the national
framework and policy for children.

 To be a nodal child protection agency in the country, providing child protection

services to children in need of care and protection.

 To contribute and work towards strengthening and participating in a global movement

that addresses issues related to child protection and ensures that children's voices are
heard.

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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:

BODY

GOVERNING BODY

DIRECTOR

COORDINATOR

PROGRAMME ASSISTANT

PROGRAMME FACILATOR

TEAM MEMBER

ACTIVITES CARRIED OUT BY THE AGENCY:

Work for the protection of the rights of all children in general. But special focus is on all
children in need of care and protection, especially the more vulnerable sections, which
include:

 Street children and youth living alone on the streets.

 Child labourers working in the unorganised and organized sectors.

 Domestic help, especially girl domestics.

 Children affected by physical / sexual / emotional abuse in family, schools or

institutions.

 Children who need emotional support and guidance.

 Children of commercial sex workers

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  Child victims of the flesh trade

 Victims of child trafficking

 Children abandoned by parents or guardians

 Missing children.

 Run away children.

 Children who are victims of substance abuse

 Differently-abled children

 Children in conflict with the law

 Children in institutions

 Mentally challenged children

 HIV/ AIDS infected children

 Children affected by conflict and disaster

 Child political refugees

 Children whose families are in crises

OBJECTIVES OF THE FIELDWORK:

 To fulfill the requirement of BSW course of Kaziranga University.

 To know about the agency Childline and its structure, functions and its administrative
process.
 To know about the process of working in agency setting.
 To conduct awareness programs about child rights areas.
 To know about the different organisation the agency is working with.

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ACTIVITES CARRIED OUT DURING FIELDWORK:

During the field work the trainee has carried out different activities which were instructed
by the agency. The activities were related to awareness programs about child rights. The
trainee mainly had done awareness and outreach programs. The trainee has worked in the
peripheries of Tinsukia district. The major activities carried out by the trainee are:

1. Joining and orientation

On 18th April, 2018, the trainee went to agency office and met the agency co-
coordinator Mr. Rajen Dhan, Program Assistance Mrs. Adati Patowary, Program
Facilitator Miss. Sneha Borghain, Team Members Mr. Protim Phukan, Sri. Amarjeet
Chutia, Sri. Ambar Moran and Miss.Sikhamoni Gohain and introduced himself.
Than the center coordinator Mr. Rajen Dhan Sir explained:
 What is Child?
 What is Childline?
 What are the service of Childline?
 What does Childline do?

Sir explained the things like:

 Intervention of cases.
 The process and procedure of child’s case.
 Child related acts
(a) Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
(b) Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929.
(c) Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.
(d) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
(e) The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2018.
(f) Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.

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 Child Rights given by UNCRC ( United Nation Convention On The Rights
Of The Child)
a) Right to Survival.
b) Right to Protection.
c) Right to Participation.
d) Right to Development.

 Working with multi sector collaboration (for e.g. govt departments such as
medical, health, education, labour), different NGO’s, allied departments like
transport, railway, police, etc. are playing an important role.
 The jurisdiction areas of the agency is Itakholi Block, Habjan Block, Guijan
Block Tinsukia and Tinsukia Municipality Area.

2. Conducted Outreach Program

Outreach is an activity providing awareness about child rights and child
problems. The agency often conduct outreach in the municipal areas as well as
in the rural areas of Tinsukia. Guided by the team member Sri. Amarjeet
Chutia the trainee participated in an outreach program at Hijuguri area located
at the periphery of the Tinsukia. The trainee distributed leaflet of Childline and
aware the people about the rights of the children’s and about the various
services that Childline offers.
3. Conducted Awareness Program in Schools

The trainee participated in the awareness program conducted by the agency in

the urban and rural schools. During the internship the trainee visited Hijuguri
Assamese High School, Hijuguri Railway High School, Bangiya Sishu
Vidalaya Girls High School and Sarbananda Singha High School. In the
awareness program’s the trainee spoken about the importance of child right
and the service of Childline related to children.

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4. Visited Children Home

During the internship the trainee visited two child homes

1. Keshav Bahety Surjudaya Children Home (KBS) located at Chota
Habjan, Tinsukia.
Superintendent- Mr. Paban Chandra Khound.
Counselor- Miss. Jinti Gogoi.
Caseworker- Miss. Varsha Borthakur.
It is a government funded child home that looked after the children from the
age of 7 to 8. The child home provides food, shelter, clothing, schooling,
Medicare facilities and extra recreational activity opportunity. In the child
home the children’s rescue by the agency or surrender child, runway child are
given short time accommodation.
2. Gyanankhush Child Home (GCH) located at Borgori, Tinsukia.
It is fully private child home sponsor by NGO’s. The home looks after
for 57 children’s which have been surrender, children with no parents
and children with single parent. The children were provided by food,
shelter, clothing, Medicare facility and the most important thing
education. In Gyanankhush child home for every child they deposits a
100 rupees every month up to the age of 18 for the future education of
the child.
5. Visited DCPU (District Child Protection Unit) Office
The trainee visited District Child Protection Office. It is a department formed
by the government of India as per rule-85 of the Juvenile Justice (care and
protection of children) model rules 2016, for the protection of children.
The trainee got to know that DCPU coordinates and implements all child
rights and protection activities at district level. The DCPU officer of Tinsukia
is Mrs. Rijwana Tasmin Hazarika.

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6. Visited CWC (Child welfare Committee)
The trainee visited Child Welfare Committee office.
Chairperson: - Mr. Ramesh Goswami.
Assistant: - Miss Pooja Chakraborty.
Social worker: - Mrs. Prathana Duarah.
CWC looks after the children’s who needs care and protection. A child can be
brought before the committee by a police officer, any public servant, by
Childline personnel, any social worker or by the child himself/herself.
Whenever a child has been rescue by the Childline or by any other person, the
child must be produce before the child welfare committee. The CWC meets
and interview the child to learn his/her background information and also
understand the problem the child is facing. The purpose of the CWC is to
determine the best interest of the child and find the child a safe home and
environment either with his/her biological parents or adoptive parents, foster
care or in an institution.
7. Visited JJB (Juvenile Justice Board)

The trainee visited Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). The JJB deals with children
below 18 in conflict with law. An advisory board is constituted at city, district
and state level for a period of three years. The members of JJB shall be
selected by the board. The JJB shall sit as a bench and hear the proceeding.
8. Visited SAA (Specialize Adoption Agency)

The trainee visited SAA (Specialize Adoption Agency) located at Borguri,

Tinsukia. The agency is run by an organization name d Shantiseva Ashram.
SAA take care of children from the age of 0 to 6. The trainee interacts with
the social worker Mrs. Dipti Nayak of the agency and got to know about the
SAA. The JJ act empowers the state government to recognize one or more of
its institution or voluntary organization in each district as SAA in such manner
as prescribed for the placement of orphaned, abandoned or surrender
children’s for adoption issued time by time.

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OBSERVATION FROM THE FIELDWORK ACTIVITES

 The trainee observes that the members of the agency were very active and
determine to their work and for the agency. The members work in two shifts day
and night because Childline is a 24x7 emergency helpline service there is toll free
number 1098 so there should be a team member in the office to receive calls.
 The trainee observes that the ‘OUTREACH’ program conducted by the agency
everyday is playing an important role amongst the people in the community about
the importance of child rights and about the service of Childline.
 The trainee also observes that the agency distributes leaflets having information
about the child rights and about Childline.
 The trainee observes that the agency conducts ‘AWARENESS PROGRAMS’ in
the schools of the community about child rights. The motive of the agency is too
aware the students of the schools because they are the future generation. So they
should know about the various issues related to child and how they can help a child
or Childline by informing them about the child that facing issues due to violation
of child rights.
 The trainee observes that the agency plays an important role in District Child
Protection Unit (DCPU), Child welfare Committee (CWC) and Juvenile Justice
Board (JJB). Together by taking major decision they are creating a better
surrounding for the children’s rescue by Childline and by others child protection
unit.
 The trainee observes that while visiting for outreach program at Hijuguri area there
was lots of child labour and there was a slum area where there was lots of
childrens just roaming here and there. They don’t go to school and they don’t have
proper shelter for living, food to eat and cloths to wear. The agency is trying to
rescue those children’s and to give them a proper shelter and proper education.
 The trainee observes that in the slum area health and hygiene of the childrens was
very poor. Because most of the people were not aware about safe drinking water
and sanitation.

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  The trainee observes that the children’s rescued by DCPU and Childline are kept in
a child home named Keshab Baheti Surjudoy Children Home. It is a government
funded child home. Children’s from 7 to 18 years are kept here.
 The trainee also visited SAA (Specialize Adoption Agency) and observes the
function and process of adoption through SAA and CARA (Central Adoption
Resource Agency).
 The trainee observes that the Community people were also not fully conscious
about the child rights. Maximum people don’t know that child labour and child
marriage is a crime and there is fine and imprisonment for violating child rights.
So they are not so much concern about the child rights.

LEARNING FROM THE FIELDWORK ACTIVITIES

 The trainee has learned how to work in an agency setup. It was the first experience
for the trainee of working in an agency. The agency has its own work culture and
working plan which helped the trainee to understand how to work as per the
requirement of the agency.
 The trainee learned how to apply the theory of social work into practice through the
fieldwork activities. The trainee had learned the methods of data collection. Trainee
also learned how to utilize the principles of social work in practical field.
 The trainee learned how to interact with various people in different way. Because
during the fieldwork the trainee had met people of different personality. Everyone’s
has different perspective as well as different thinking. So the trainee learned how to
deal with different people having different personality.
 The trainee learned how to become friendly with children. Because during the
internship the trainee could observe one thing that it is little bit difficult to work
with children. It means children have their own perspective; children’s worlds are
quite simple in comparison to an adult. So it very important to carefully deal with
children. So, the trainee learned this skill from field work. It will help the trainee to
improve the behavioral skills in future.

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 The trainee learned how to actively participate in awareness programs conducted at
schools or in community level as the agency conducted few awareness programs at
the school’s during the internship.
 The trainee learned how to conduct an awareness program in a systematic manner.
Trainee also had learned how to utilize the local resources (Human and material
resources) for the upliftment of the community people.
 The trainee learned how to become friendly with children. Because during the field
visits trainee could observe one thing that it is little bit difficult to work with
children. It means children have their own perspective; children’s worlds are quite
simple in comparison to an adult. So it very important to carefully deal with
children. So, the trainee learned this skill from field work. It will help the trainee to
improve the behavioral skills in future.
 As a trainee social worker observation is very much essential during field work
activities. From the field work experiences the trainee learned the way of observing
things, about what is happening in the community and problem faced by them. The
trainee learned how to observe the conditions of the community through different
perspective.

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FEEDBACK

 When the trainee first visited for outreach programme at Hijuguri, Tinsukia, some of
the people there had not accepted the trainee; they even not interested in interacting
with the trainee. It was a challenge for the trainee because without the acceptance of
the people, the trainee would not be able to carry out the outreach programme.
 During the field work; at the time of distributing leaflets of Childline in the
community the trainee was offended by some people as the people of that area were
not aware about the Childline programme and they thought that the trainee has visited
the area to collect money in the name of Child programme.
 Trainee faced communication problems when entered into the community area as
every area has its own system of communication, language etc.
 The concerned authority does not take any action against the drugs addicted child even
they have proper knowledge about these. They used to ignore this activity of taking
drugs, alcohol or smoking etc.

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Conclusion:

It has been a great experience for the trainee as the trainee was working in the agency. The
trainee had got the opportunity to explore complete new things. Being the part of the
organization for the last one month was really a good exposure to the trainee. The trainee
benefitted a lot working under Childline. During the fieldwork the trainee had known about
the different things related to the child rights and Childline. The trainee was also got support
from the agency. During the fieldwork activities the trainee got experiences which will help
the trainee to develop different skills as a social work trainee.

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