CHILDLINE Service started its journey on 26 March 2013 as District Collaborative Centre; with other two Sub-Centres at Rampurhat and Suri in Birbhum district.

Elmhirst Institute of Community Studies (EICS), the District Collaborative Centre is functioning at Andrewspalli, Santiniketan.  The Sub-Centers, Rampurhat Spastic and Handicapped Society of Rampurhat and Jayaprokash Institute for Social Change of Suri have been dedicated for 24x7 hours service with objective of CHILDLINE India initiative. 

EICS has been entrusted by the Childline India Foundation (CIF), the Nodal Agency for Child Protection activities under ICPS scheme of Ministry of Women & Child Development, to implement CHILDLINE 1098, (24 x 7) emergency interventions so that to reach out to every child in need of care and protection, as the Collaborative Organization at Birbhum district, West Bengal. The CHILDLINE 1098 collaborative centre at Birbhum has been initiated in March 2013.

The objectives of CHILDLINE services:

1. To reach out to every child in need of care and protection by responding to emergencies on 1098 and by physically reaching out to children.
2. To adapt and integrate telecommunication technology, linking all districts to the service of 1098, and making it available to all children in need of care and protection.
3. To provide a platform of networking amongst organizations and to provide linkages to support systems that facilitates the rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection. 
4. 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.
5. To advocate for services for children that are inaccessible, non-existent or inadequate.
6. To create a body of NGOs and Government organizations working within the national framework and policy for children.
7. To be a nodal child protection agency in the country, providing child protection services to children in need of care and protection.
8. To set up innovative child protection services leveraging technological advancements in areas where such services are inaccessible, non-existent or inadequate
9. To undertake research with the objectives of strengthening the CHILDLINE 1098 service, and studying new and emerging trends in child protection issue
10. 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. 

Production at District Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Open House, Rescue through CHILDLINE, GDE & FIR  (2018-2019)

Cases Received/Referred From (2018-2019)

Child Restoration (2018-2019)

Grass Root Level Outreach Programmes (2018-2019)

Awareness Programmes (2018-2019)

Several CHILDLINE Activities in Brief (2018-2019):

• The Collaborative Centre of CHILDLINE 1098 Service, Birbhum conducted Awareness Programme for the Civic Volunteers of different Police Stations of different blocks throughout the district. This Awareness Programmes were going on from October to November 2018 throughout the district
• The Programmes on Prevention of Child Marriage and other issues of child rights along with CHILDLINE 1098 service were held at different High Schools/Madrashas, MSK throughout Birbhum District. The Police Dept., Education Dept., Block and PRI authorities were participated in these programmes.
• The Awareness Programme on Prevention of Child Marriage was held among Priests and Moulabis at Ruppur Gram Panchayet of Bolpur Sriniketan Block.
• CHILDLINE Birbhum conducted an Interface Meeting between GRP & CHILDLINE 1098 Service at Sainthia GRPS, Birbhum on 20th June, 2018 at Railway Office, Sainthia. The Officer-in-Charge(O/C), GRPS, Sainthia, Station Superintendent, Sainthia Railway Station, Second Officer, Sainthia Police Station, ASI, RPF and CHILDLINE Team participated in this Programme. 
• Special programme: CHILDLINE 1098 Service, Birbhum arranged Awareness Programme on Child Sexual Abuse, Rallies on this issue throughout Birbhum District in the month of February 2019. This programme was arranged in collaboration with the District Administration, different Educational Institutions, Clubs and NGOs. The school going and non-school going children, teachers, police officials, GP Members, club members participated in this initiative. Some cases of Child Sexual Abuse came to CHILDLINE Birbhum after this Awareness based programme.

Training Programmes Conducted (2018-2019):

• A Training Programme on Different Medical Health Related Schemes for Children was held on 24.06.2018 organized by the CHILDLINE 1098 service, Birbhum Collaborative Centre at the Dorothy Hall of Elmhirst Institute of Community Studies (EICS), Santiniketan.  Representatives of CMOH Office, Birbhum, Mr. Goutam Ghosh, Mr. Chandan Chatterjee, District ASHA Facilitator, Dr. Koushik Pramanik, School Health Medical Officer, RBSK, Mrs. Soniya Ghosh, Counsellor, Anwesha Clinic were discussed on different health related facilities or, Schemes (Specially on RBSK) for children. ASHA Workers of Bolpur-Sriniketan Block, Officials of CNCP Home, Bolpur and the Collaborative and Suri and Rampurhat Sub-Centre Team of CHILDLINE 1098 Service, Birbhum were participated in this Training Programme.
• The Training Programme for Teachers on Child Rights was held on 24 September 2018 at Elmhirst Institute of Community Studies, Santiniketan. The important role of different types of Child Rights was discussed in this Training Programme. 
• Training Programme for SHGs on Child Rights & CHILDLINE 1098 Service was organized. Besides CHILDLINE Team the WDO, Bolpur-Sriniketan Development Block was one of the Trainers. The SHG members and the leaders of Cluster and the Sub-Clusters were present at the training programme. 
• The Training Programme on Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy was conducted on 26 March 2019. The District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) & the Chairperson, Child Welfare committee (CWC), Birbhum and the Centre Director of CHILDLINE Birbhum were the main speakers of this programme.

Besides these Programmes CHILDLINE 1098 Service, Birbhum also arranged Awareness Programmes for ASHA workers of Birbhum District on Child Rights and CHILDLINE 1098 Services. A Training Programme was held in collaboration with the district Health administration. Different health related problems of children and the role of CHILDLINE 1098 Service was discussed mainly in this Programme. Besides the CHILDLINE.

Some Cases in Brief:

• On December, 2018, CHILDLINE 1098 Service received a minor pregnant girl from Birbhum District Health administration. This 12 years old girl, ‘A’ was sexually abused by a boy and became pregnant.   ‘A’ belonged to a poor tribal family and her father earned counseling. Ultimately the name of the accused boy was known and a FIR was filed at Bolpur Woman PS and the boy was arrested. After the arrest the accused family attacked   A’s family in retaliation. CHILDLINE team had to provide temporary shelter for A’s parents and contacted relevant authorities for the safety and security of the family.  After few months ‘A’ gave birth to a female child. The child was sent to SAA home for adaptation. Now ‘A’ is at home with her parents. CHILDLINE team recently visited her home to take follow up of the girl as per the order of CWC, Birbhum.
• Sainthia PS sent a minor girl ‘B’ to CHILDLINE 1098 for safe shelter and restoration. After counseling the girl informed that she was engaged as a maid servant in the family of a Principal of a college. But she was ill treated and tortured by the principal and his wife. So she fled from there with an intention to go back to her home. But she could not reach home and fortunately a well wisher handed over her to Police Station.  CHILDLINE along with District Police, CIF and other CHILDLINE wanted to take legal action against the professor and filed a complaint at Pandobeshawr Police Station. But the case had to be withdrawn through court affidavit and the child was handed over to her parents as per the direction of DSWO, Birbhum. 
• CHILDLINE 1098 SERVICE received a case of prevention of Child Marriage of a minor girl. The marriage of a 14 years old girl, a student of class X, was arranged by her parents on July 10, 2018. CHILDLINE  and the respective allied system visited the girl’s house jointly  and a GDE was filed in this regard at Labpur PS. The girl’s parents produced a birth certificate of the girl showing her age 18 years. CHILDLINE verified this certificate with Kankalitala Gram Panchayet and this certificate appeared to be fake. CHILDLINE lodged a complaint against this fake case and the accused were arrested under the order of Bolpur court. 
• ‘C’, a 13 years old tribal girl and a student of class VIII, was residing at Santiniketan with her family. ‘C’ was suffering from epilepsy and her family member sent her to a tantrik  who was known to her family, for treatment. But the trantik repeatedly raped the child on the pretext of treatment. The child failed to convince her family about the incident.  Ultimately the child disappeared. CHILDLINE received the case as sexual abuse from DLSA of Birbhum on February, 2019. CHILDLINE visited the girl and her family and filed a FIR at the Bolpur Women PS under POSCO Act. The child was rescued by Women PS and was given shelter at CHILDLINE 1098 service for medical check-up and counseling. ‘C’ is now at CNCP Home, Santiniketan.
• CHILDLINE Birbhum received some cases where medical care and protection for the children were required. Railway Protection Force rescued a 8 years disabled girl and contacted CHILDLINE for her shelter and treatment. CHILDLINE arranged her treatment in different Health Centre, Medical College and hospitals and after 41 days, she could be admitted at Child Care Institute at Midnapur for treatment as per the order of CWC of Malda.
• On March, 2019 CHILDLINE received the case of ‘D’, a 16 years old girl suffering from complicated kidney related problem. CHILDLINE at once arranged her check-up at Suri SD Hospital. But the case was referred to Bardwan Medical College and then to SSKM Hospital, Kolkata. CHILDLINE Birbhum with the help of CHILDLINE Burdwan shifted the girl to SSKM and then to Shambhunath Pandit Hospital. Unfortunately the girl died due to cardio respiratory failure.
• A very complicated medical case was successfully handled by CHILDLINE Birbhum and the patient is totally fit now. On March 2018, CHILDLINE received the case of ‘E’, a 9 years old student of class V, suffering from heart and lungs related problem. CHILDLINE Birbhum arranged his first medical check-up and subsequent other check-up in different  hospitals. Finally he was admitted in Mission Hospital in Durgapur in July where he had undergone heart and lung surgery. CHILDLINE team was in constant touch with E’s family till the end of the case. The operation was successful and ‘E’ is keeping well.
• CHILDLINE Birbhum got involved in a case where the team could save 11 boys from trafficking. In the early morning of June, 2018, a daily passenger noticed a group of 17 passengers including 11boys travelling in the train (Viswabharati First Passenger). He at once contacted CHILDLINE Birbhum through 1098 Service. Team CHILDLINE Birbhum boarded the train from Bolpur and contacted GRPS, Howrah, and Railway CHILDLINE, Howrah and jointly visited the compartment after reaching Howrah. The main trafficker along with 3 boys managed to escape and 9 boys were rescued.