New Delhi, Nov 6 : A reference guidebook that will have clear guidelines on child care for caretakers in children's homes and how to instill in kids a positive mental outlook will be out by January, said experts at a workshop on mental health in the capital Friday.

Vikram Dutt, director of the two-day workshop that began Friday said: "It's very important to have standard guidelines in all children's homes for proper care of children who have faced many difficulties in life - be it sexual abuse, abandonment or getting orphaned."    

"Therefore, in association with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a reference guidebook for both government and NGO homes for children, will be out by January next year," Dutt told IANS.    

"The guidelines will be simple and put in a step-by-step manner so that they are easy to follow by the caretakers. They will be the basic guidelines on how to approach a child, get him or her involved in daily activities and instill a sense of confidence through these activities," he added.    

Savita Jain, a child rights expert participating in the workshop, said: "What is the first thing that you would do when a distressed child, who has been abused, comes to you? Probably give a hug or hold their hand? Much against your idea of that being a consoling gesture, any physical contact with the child will only push her more into the cocoon."    

"The point that I am trying to draw here is that you need more than just love and concern to handle such sensitive issues and instill confidence in such children. You need expertise. However there is a serious dearth of such expert help in many children's home and these guidelines will attempt at filling the void," she added.    

The workshop, which saw participation from all quarters, both at the government and non-government level, was held at the Indian Social Institute here.    

Shantha Sinha, chairperson of NCPCR said: "We must try and create an environment for children that will bring out the best in them and help them discover their own potential".    

The workshop was organised by an NGO, Udayan Care, under the aegis of NCPCR.    (IANS)