Four Organizations in Thailand Launch Scheme to Help Children Affected by COVID-19 Crisis

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s Department of Children and Youth, in cooperation with the Equitable Education Fund (EEF), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarindra Institute (CAMRI) and UNICEF Thailand, have launched the “Care Centre for Children with COVID-19” scheme to help children affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Under the scheme, four foster homes, each with a capacity of 160, have been established to provide temporary accommodation for children whose parents have been infected by the virus, while officials work on finding them a permanent home. Cases of children affected by the COVID-19 fallout can be reported to the care center via the 1300 hotline.

Department of Children and Youth Director-General Supatcha Suttipol said more than 65,000 children had been affected by COVID-19 between January and August 4th this year. Many are either infected, have not been treated, are vulnerable to infections, have lost one or both their parents to the virus, have mental disabilities or are likely to fall out of the education system.

She added that a mobile application will also be set up to find children who have either lost their parents or are at risk of losing their parents to the virus. The operation will cover the entire country, in cooperation with as many entities as possible.