ICDS

                          Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)

ICDS is government of India programme for early childhood development. It was started in 1975. It aims to provide preschool school education at one hand and breaking vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity and mortality on the other hand.

Objective-

1. To improve nutritional and health status of children in age group of 0-6 years
2. To lay foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of children
3. To reduce occurrence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropouts
4. To achieve effective co-ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; and
5. To enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education

Services: The above objectives are sought to be achieved through a package of services comprising:

1. supplementary nutrition,
2. immunization,
3. health check-up,
4. referral services,
5. pre-school non-formal education and
6. Nutrition & health education.

Nutrition including supplementary feeding- All families in community are surveyed, to identify children 0-6 age and pregnant, nursing women. They are provided supplementary feeding in order to bridge caloric gap between the national average and average intake of children and women in low income level and disadvantaged group.

Growth Monitoring and nutrition surveillance are two important activities that are undertaken. Children below the age of three years of age are weighed once a month and children 3-6 years of age are weighed quarterly. Weight-for-age growth cards are maintained for all children below six years. This helps to detect growth faltering and helps in assessing nutritional status. Besides, severely malnourished children are given special supplementary feeding and referred to medical services.

Polio Vaccination

Immunization- Immunization of pregnant women and infants protects children from six vaccine preventable diseases-poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, tuberculosis and measles. These are major preventable causes of child mortality, disability, morbidity and related malnutrition. Immunization of pregnant women against tetanus also reduces maternal and neonatal mortality.

Referral Services: During health check-ups and growth monitoring, sick or malnourished children, in need of prompt medical attention, are referred to the Primary Health Centre or its sub-centre. The anganwadi worker has also been oriented to detect disabilities in young children. She enlists all such cases in a special register and refers them to the medical officer of the Primary Health Centre/ Sub-centre.

Children in Anganwadi Centre

Non-formal Pre-School Education (PSE)- The Non-formal Pre-school Education (PSE) component of the ICDS may well be considered the backbone of the ICDS programme, since all its services essentially converge at the anganwadi – a village courtyard. Anganwadi Centre (AWC) – a village courtyard – is the main platform for delivering of these services. These AWCs have been set up in every village in the country. In pursuance of its commitment to the cause of India’s Children, present government has decided to set up an AWC in every human habitation/ settlement.

Dissemination of Heath and Nutrition Education 

Nutrition and Health Education: Nutrition, Health and Education (NHED) is a key element of the work of the anganwadi worker. This forms part of BCC (Behaviour Change Communication) strategy. This has the long term goal of capacity-building of women – especially in the age group of 15-45 years – so that they can look after their own health, nutrition and development needs as well as that of their children and families