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Bengaluru: Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, often in the news for controversies and allegations of irregularities, has now drawn national attention for a different reason. Karnataka has launched what is being described as the country’s first dedicated childcare centre inside a prison premises to support infants and young children living with incarcerated mothers.

The initiative has been introduced by the Directorate of Child Protection to ensure that children below six years of age do not suffer mentally and emotionally because of the prison environment.

Under prison and Supreme Court guidelines, children below the age of six are allowed to stay with their mothers in jail. However, officials say such children often grow up within prison walls despite having committed no wrongdoing themselves. The newly established childcare centre seeks to provide a nurturing and educational atmosphere for these children and ensure their early development is not affected.

At present, nine children are being cared for at the facility, including three children of foreign nationals lodged in the prison. Authorities said the centre has been designed to create a child-friendly atmosphere within the otherwise harsh prison environment.

Two specially appointed teachers are conducting regular sessions for the children, focusing on alphabets, numbers, rhymes, storytelling and creative activities. The programme also includes awareness sessions on personal safety, including “good touch and bad touch,” to help children develop social and emotional awareness from an early age.

Officials said the centre is not limited to basic childcare alone but aims at the overall development of children. Lessons on discipline, table manners, hygiene, respecting elders and social behaviour are also being imparted to prepare children for mainstream schooling and social life outside prison.

To make the environment more welcoming, prison walls around the childcare unit have been decorated with colourful paintings and educational illustrations. Separate play areas, modern toilets and handwashing facilities have also been created for the children.

The project has reportedly been developed under the Central government’s Mission Vatsalya programme and provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Authorities further stated that once a child attains six years of age, responsibility will normally shift to family members outside prison. In cases where relatives are unable or unwilling to take custody, arrangements will be made through NGOs and child welfare institutions to ensure continued education and care.

Officials believe the initiative could become a model for correctional institutions across the country by prioritising the welfare and emotional wellbeing of children living in prisons with their mothers.