As more parents from rural villages in China migrate to the cities to find work, many are leaving their children at home to be raised by others — or to fend for themselves.
As a result, 41 million children in rural China are at risk of violence, exploitation and mental health issues.
With your support, UNICEF is working to create a safety net that ensures vulnerable children in rural China are cared for and protected by their communities. First steps include helping 95,000 children stay in school and receive the psychosocial services they need.
Further interventions will:
- Upgrade 240 child protection centers that offer a range of services to prevent and respond to abuse and neglect
- Train social work providers to ensure they have the knowledge and skills they need to provide effective care
- Establish coordination between county-level social service providers — such as teachers, police, health professionals and neighborhood committees — to ensure they can identify, report and refer at-risk children to the resources they need
- Improve local databases that track vulnerable children so they can receive support when they need it
- Advocate for legal reforms that strengthen child protection and promote parental guardianship
Every child deserves a safe, nurturing childhood. Let’s ensure they don’t have to grow up too soon.