J&K has 55 childcare homes, only 2 for special needs children: GoI

New Delhi, Feb 7: Jammu and Kashmir has two Childcare Institutions (CCIs) catering to children with special needs under the Mission Vatsalya scheme. However, no such facility exists in Ladakh, the Union government informed Parliament on Friday.
The information, was provided by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, in response to a parliamentary query on shelter homes for mentally challenged destitute children across the country.
According to official data, Jammu and Kashmir has a total of 55 CCIs, out of which two have special units for children with special needs.
Ladakh has seven CCIs but lacks any dedicated facilities for such children.
Mission Vatsalya, implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, provides financial assistance to states and Union Territories for the care, protection, and rehabilitation of children in difficult circumstances.
The scheme allows CCIs to set up special units for children with special needs, offering facilities such as special educators, therapists, nurses, and assistive equipment.
The government did not specify whether new special needs shelter homes are planned for Ladakh or additional ones for Jammu and Kashmir in the near future. (KNO)