The Minor Protection Office of the State Council recently launched a program to ensure orphans, children without guardians, left-behind children and other children in distress get through the winter and enjoy the coming Chinese New Year as much as they can.
The program requires local minor protection offices to conduct mapping and visits to children in distress during the winter holiday and assign social workers to provide care and company.
Also, local offices should inform parents or commissioned caregivers of their legal responsibility of guardianship and guide them to bond with their children through phone calls and video calls.
The shifting focus of China’s pandemic prevention and control will need to be taken into considerations to make sure these children have access to medical care and vaccination.
Other measures include providing mental health support, safety examination of the houses, and providing temporary government guardianship for orphans and children who are by themselves.
