CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the State government to consider appointing in educational institutions trained full-time counsellors experienced in child psychology.
The first Bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan issued the directive while closing a PIL from advocate E Ranganayaki wanting the Union and State governments to mandate that every school had trained professional full-time counsellors experienced in child psychology.
According to the petitioner child sex abuses could be prevented only if the community, educational institutions and the government came together to share the burden of preventing crime against children. When tangible actions were taken to show support from all levels of society, the criminals would be less likely to commit such crimes and the children were more likely to come forward to report such incidents.
Closing the PIL, the Bench said the petitioner’s suggestion that each school should have a child counsellor, though desirable, might not be feasible.
“We consider it appropriate to put to the Additional Advocate General that the creation of requisite trained personnel should be a long time measure by creating sufficient seats in educational institutions for the subject, especially as there is potential of employability. The petitioner can approach the chairperson of the TN Commission for Protection of Child Rights on the panel being set up for which State Government sought two months time,” the Bench said.