Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
(1) Children up to six years of age shall be allowed to remain with their mothers or female guardians in the prison, if, there is no other arrangement for keeping them with relatives or otherwise : Provided that on the request of the mother or the guardian, as the case may be, and with the consent of the child, the Superintendent may, in the best interest of the child, allow him to remain in the prison with his mother or the female guardian, as the case may be, up to the age of eight years. (2) Personal details of the children of female prisoners admitted to the prison shall be recorded at the time of admission. The record shall include the name, age, and gender of the child. A similar record of children of female prisoners, who are not lodged with them including their whereabouts, shall also be kept: Provided that information relating to the child’s identity shall be kept confidential, and the use of such information shall always be guided by the best interest of the child. (3) Children above the age specified in sub-rule (1) above shall be handed over to a close relative with the consent of the female prisoner or placed in a Child Care Institution registered under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (Central Act 2of 2016) on the orders of the Child Welfare Committee. Such child shall be kept in Child Care Institution until the mother is released or the child attains the age of eighteen years, whichever is earlier. For the purpose of determination of the age of the child, the procedure specified under the provisions of the HARYANA GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA.), DEC. 30, 2022 (PAUS. 9, 1944 SAKA) 1287 Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (Central Act 2of 2016) shall be followed. Arrangements may be made for a meeting of the female prisoners with their children once in a fortnight or oftener. (4) Visiting children shall be allowed to meet freely with their mothers and the visits shall take place in an environment that is conducive to a positive experience for the visiting children. As far as possible, visits involving extended contact with children shall be encouraged. (5) Prison administration shall ensure the holistic development of children of inmates confined in the prison. To the extent possible, the prison administration shall strive to create a suitable environment for their upbringing as close as possible to that of a child outside prison. (6) The children of female prisoners living in the prison shall be given proper education and recreational opportunities. There shall be a well-equipped creche and nursery school attached to the prison housing female prisoners. Children of school-going age shall be enrolled in nursery school and the rest shall be looked after in the crèche. Such facilities may also be extended to the children of staff members. (7) The scale of diet for children shall be decided while keeping in view the dietary requirements of growing children as per health norms and climatic conditions. Separate utensils of suitable size and material shall also be provided for feeding children. (8) The Superintendent, alongwith Deputy Superintendent (Industry and Welfare), shall design programs for recreational visits of the children of female prisoners outside the prison at regular intervals, with their consent. (9) If a female prisoner dies leaving a child inside the prison, and no family member or relative is ready to take his responsibility, the Superintendent or any other officer duly authorized by him in this behalf, shall produce the child before the Child Welfare Committee as soon as practicable, for taking cognizance to ensure appropriate rehabilitation of the child in need of care and protection. Personal hygiene.