Children’s homes operating without enough money will be closed down to prevent children from suffering, Kikuyu sub-county children’s officer Jane Kabiru has said.
Kabiru said in such an instance, the children will be distributed to the government institutions around the area and homeowners prosecuted. She argued that a children’s home operating without adequate money will have no resources to cater for emergencies like diseases and accidents.
She revealed that the children’s office must know the source of the organisations’ money to prevent homes from using ‘tainted money’ from other nations. She added that the institutions should hand in their fully audited financial reports at the end of each financial year.
In addition, the district children’s officer said all institutions and NGOs dealing with children’s welfare in Kikuyu have to be certified by the children’s affairs office. She said that any organisation dealing with a Kenyan child in Kikuyu must involve her office.
The officer said homes should also submit a list of the children they have on a monthly basis and the challenges faced in handling the children. Kabiru said the institutions have to indicate issues like death of any child, injury, disease outbreak in the vicinity, children’s offences and escape of a child from the institution among others.
Foreigners living in and operating children’s homes will also be required to submit copies of their legal documents allowing them to be in the country. She said that her office cannot risk the lives of needy children in the hands of foreigners whose intentions may be exploitation.
Kabiru revealed she has contacted the Kikuyu deputy county commissioner and agreed on issuing a notice to all the institutions to register.
She assured residents that her office was determined to ensure all children are comfortable all over the sub-county.