Rebranding Child Protection Policies Undermines the Real Issues of Funding and Implementation: A Comparative Analysis of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (2009 and 2014) and Mission Vatsalya (2022)

Abstract

This article compares India’s recently adopted child protection policy, Mission Vatsalya (2022), with its predecessor, the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (2009, 2014). The comparative analysis finds that many parts of Mission Vatsalya are ‘old wine in new bottles’, suggesting that adopting a new scheme was in large part a rebranding exercise. Some concerning changes, however, are visible: a dilution of the role of civil society; a centralisation of funding and a decrease in accountability to the public; and a promotion of family-based alternative care without adequate guidelines for how to transition from an institutional system. Based on these findings, the article argues that the constant focus on ‘integrating’ and rebranding existing services undermines the real issues of better child protection, namely funding and implementation of existing schemes. Furthermore, bringing frequent policy changes requires the reallocation of already scant resources on retraining the stakeholders responsible for implementing the policy. It is therefore recommended that instead of frequently amending policies, focus should be on better implementation of existing provisions.