Tiruchy :

In a bid to insulate children from crimes, Childline India Foundation (CIF) is to begin a  round-the-clock Childline care for the Southern States — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh — from November 15 in Chennai.

Officials of the Childline India Foundation (CIF) said that they would complete the recruitment process as soon as possible.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has come forward to support the initiative by providing space and technology-related equipment.

Child rights activists say that the new move would pave the way for comprehensive services to curb crimes against children in the southern States of India.

Childline India Foundation (CIF) had last year sent a recommendation to the ministry of Women and Child Development for bringing all the Southern States’ Childline contact centres under one umbrella and they received a green signal to establish the centralised Childline call centre for the southern states.

Jenishiya Priyanka, Programme Coordinator, Southern Regional Resource Centre (SRRC), Childline India Foundation (CIF)  said that they have already started connecting the Childline contact centres.

“Childline care centres from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala would come under one umbrella in Chennai and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)  has assured us to provide space with network related services like telephones and connectivity at a  building in Thoraipakkam in Chennai, which houses several software and BPO companies,” she said.

The Programme Coordinator  also added that they are in the process of completing recruitment. The candidates preferred as those with social work-related experience and proficiency in regional languages.

Stating that they are gearing up to start the call centres, Jenishiya said that it has been confirmed that the Childline contact centres would start functioning from November 15.

“As of now, around 30 telephones will be used in the new contact centres and will have 60 employees, who are proficient in both regional languages and English,” she said.

The new move has been welcomed by child rights activists.

“It is a welcome move and the new technology would not give any space for time lag. Most importantly, there would be no network problem and even if it is so, in can be rectified immediately,” says S Thyagarajan, a child rights activist and coordinator, Childline nodal agency.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Lenin R / August 31st, 2014