Management Committee (Rule 55 of the Juvenile Justice)

Legal provisions regarding management committee as per as rule 55 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rule 2007.

(1) Every institution shall have a Management Committee for the management of the institution and monitoring the progress of every juvenile and child.

(2) In order to ensure proper care and treatment as per the individual care plans, a juvenile or child shall be grouped on the basis of age, nature of offence or kind of care required, physical and mental health and length of stay order.

(3) The Management Committee shall consist of the following personnel:

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District Child Protection Officer (District Child Protection Unit) – Chairman

Officer-in-Charge – Member – Secretary

Probation Officer or Child Welfare Officer or Case Worker – Member

Medical Officer – Member

Psychologist or Counseller – Member

Workshop Supervisor or Instructor or Vocational Teacher – Member

Social Worker Member of Juvenile Justice Board or Child Welfare Committee – Member

A Juvenile or Child representative from each of the Children’s Committee (on a monthly rotation basis to ensure representation of juveniles or children from all age groups) – Member.

(4) In the district where District Child Protection Unit is not constituted the District Magistrate or Collector or his nominee shall be the Chairperson of this Committee.

(5) Where voluntary organizations are involved in providing professional and technical services like education, vocational training, psychological care, mental health intervention and legal aid, the Management Committee may invite a representative of such voluntary organizations as a special invitee to the Management Committee meetings.

(6) (a) The Management Committee shall meet every month to consider and review:

(i) Custodial care or care in the institution, housing, area of activity and type of supervision or interventions required;

(ii) Medical facilities and treatment;

(iii) Food, water, sanitation and hygiene conditions;

(iv) Mental health interventions with the juveniles and children;

(v) Individual problems of juveniles and children, provision of legal aid services and institutional adjustment, leading to the quarterly review of individual care plans;

(vi) Vocational training and opportunities for employment;

(vii) Education and life skills development programmes;

(viii) Social adjustment, recreation, group work activities, guidance and counselling;

(ix) Review of progress, adjustment and modification of residential programmes to the needs of the juveniles and children;

(x) Planning post-release or post-restoration rehabilitation programme and follow up for a period of two years in collaboration with aftercare services;

(xi) Pre-release or pre-restoration preparation;

(xii) Release or restoration;

(xiii) Post release or post-release follow up;

(xiv) Minimum standards of care, including infrastructure and services available;

(xv) Daily routine;

(xvi) Community participation and voluntarism in the residential life of children such as education, vocational activities, recreation and hobby;

(xvii) Oversee that all registers as required under the Act and rules are maintained by the institution, check and verify these registers, duly stamped and signed in the monthly review meetings;

(xviii) Matters concerning the Children’s Committees;

(xix) Any other matter which the officer-in-charge may like to bring up.

(b) The Officer-in-Charge or Child Welfare Officer shall file a quarterly progress report of every juvenile or child in the case file and send a copy to the District Child Protection Unit and Board or Committee, as the case may be.

(7) The Management Committee shall set up a complaint and redress mechanism in every institution and a Children’s Suggestion Box shall be installed in every institution at a place easily accessible to juveniles and children away from the office set up and closer to the residence or rooms or dormitories of the children.

(8) (a) The Children’s Suggestion Box, whose key shall remain in the custody of the Chairperson of the Management Committee, shall be checked every week by the Chairperson of the Management Committee or his representative from District Child Protection Unit, in the presence of the members of the Children’s Committee.

(b) If there is a problem or suggestion that requires immediate attention, the Chairperson of the Management Committee shall call for an emergency meeting of the Management Committee to discuss and take necessary action.

(c) The quorum for conducting the emergency meetings shall be five members, including two members of Children’s Committees, Chairperson of the Management Committee, Member of Committee or the Board, as the case may be, and the Officer-in-Charge of the institution.

(d) In the event of a serious allegation or complaint against the Officer-in-Charge of the institution, he shall not be part of the emergency meeting and another available member of the Management Committee shall be included in his place.

(e) All suggestions received through the suggestion box and action taken as a result of the decisions made in the emergency meeting or action required to be taken shall be placed for discussion and review in the monthly meeting of the Management Committee.

(9) A Children’s Suggestion Book shall be maintained in every institution where the complaints and action taken by the Management Committee are duly recorded and such action and follow up shall be communicated to the Children’s Committee after every monthly meeting of the Management Committee.

(10) The Board or Committee shall review the Children’s Suggestion Book at least once in three months.

Under Rule 56 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007, Officer-in-Charge of every institution for juveniles or children shall facilitate the setting up of the Children’s Committees for three different age groups Of children, viz., 6-10 years, 11-15 years and 16-18 years and these Children’s Committees shall be constituted solely by children to participate in the improvement of the conditions of the institution.