THE country encourages social organizations and individuals to provide assistance to minors in need of help, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Civil affairs departments and relief institutions for minors across the country should build more public institutions for protecting minors, said Guo

Yuqiang, director of the child welfare department of the ministry, at a press conference in Beijing on Monday when expounding on a recently-released guideline on providing care for minors.

Professionals such as social workers, legal workers and psychological counselors are encouraged to offer assistance to rural left-behind children and needy children, Guo said. Enterprises are required to fulfill their social obligations to assist needy children and their families, and urge employees to perform their duty of guardianship.

Zhao Yong, deputy director of the ministry, noted that the country has released a document on the assessment standards of family foster care for children.

The document stipulates certain standards for foster families and children, and the procedures of assessment, in detail, said Zhao.

The ministry also said China has appointed supervisors and directors for children in an effort to strengthen child protection and offer better services to those in need.

So far, 45,000 child supervisors and 620,000 child directors have been appointed at the township and village levels, respectively, said Ni Chunxia with the ministry.

Also, a senior prosecutor with the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Monday at a news briefing that the authority plans to develop a national database of sex crimes against minors.

The database has been listed in the five-year reform plan of the SPP, said Shi Weizhong, a senior SPP prosecutor.

The SPP also plans to introduce a national mechanism that vets civil servants and employees of certain public institutions on whether they have been involved in sex crimes against minors, Shi said.

The first provincial database on sex crimes has been established, and the pre-placement vetting of civil servants and employees of certain public institutions, such as teachers, started in Shanghai, according to Shi.

Meanwhile, in March Central China’s Hubei Province adopted a policy requiring employees at departments of education, health, social aid and social welfare, and at village and community committees, to report their criminal records involving crimes against children.  (Xinhua)