MDAs

Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development

EDO STATE GOVERNMENT

Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development

Department of Child Development

About us

The Department of Child Development was established as a full-fledged Department in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development as a result of the resolutions reached at the meeting of the National Council of Women Affairs and Youth Development (as it was then) held in Makurdi, Benue State from 18th – 22nd September, 2000.

OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

  • To provide care, shelter, protection and counselling.
  • To handle actions, matters and other related issues affecting the well-being of children especially the orphans, destitute and vulnerable children whether undertaken by an individual, parents, family, public or private body, institutions service, court of law, administrative or legislative authority.
  • In all actions, the best interest of the child should be paramount to all and every child should be given adequate care and protection necessary for his/ her total development and well-being.

UNITS OF THE DEPARTMENT       

  • Adoption
  • Orphanage Homes
  • Child Protection/ Children Parliament
  • Crèche

FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT

  • Adoption Unit:
  • Processing of application for applicants who applied for adoption.
  • Conducting of social enquiries on suitable applicants.
  • Receiving and verifying of documents submitted by applicants.
  • Counselling of prospective adopters.
  • Monitoring of adopted babies/children in Homes.

 

Orphanage   Unit

  • Registration of Orphanage Homes.
  • Receiving of abandoned Children, Orphans and Destitute into the Orphanage Homes.
  • Monitoring and following-up of children for head count, ensure that they are adequately catered for and in a safe, hygienic/conducive environment.
  • Providing Psycho-Social Support Services, Emotional First-Aid Therapy, Trauma Healing and Behaviour Modification to vulnerable children and those that manifest deviant behaviour.

Presently, there are 52 registered Orphanage Homes in Edo State which are under the supervision of the Ministry. They are stated below;

 

Edo South ——————–39

Edo North………………………6

Edo Central…………………….7

  • Child Protection Unit

    • Handling all forms of Child Rights Violations Offences and follow-up to a legal conclusion.
    • Providing Psycho-Social Support Services through the use of Psychotherapies and techniques to ensure survivors becomes well-adjusted and recover from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
    • Counselling for Psycho-Social Support, Trauma Healing, and Emotional First-Aid Therapy for survivors of Gender Based Violence/Family members.
    • Placement of children in Orphanage homes, building strong support system that promotes child safety, permanency and wellbeing within the State.
    • Providing Behaviour Modification Counselling to vulnerable children with deviant behaviour and Sexual Offenders to have a change in attitude. Below are the cases reported at the department from March, to September, 2022.
    • Coordinating and supervising all the activities for Children Parliament.

    • Crèche Unit

      • Registration of Crèches.
      • Monitoring and inspection of crèches in Edo State to ensure they operate within the confines of the Child’s Rights Law.