NEW DELHI: If women continue to remain vulnerable to domestic violence during the lockdown, so do children confined to their homes. Nearly 30 % of the over 3 lakh calls received by children’s helpline ‘1098’ across 570 districts of the country from March 20 to March 31 pertain to callers seeking protection from violence and abuse. Overall the helpline registered a 50% increase in calls received during the lockdown.The data was shared at an online outreach, organised by the ministry of women and child led by minister Smriti Irani , to orient functionaries working with vulnerable children like the district child protection units, child welfare committees and the child care institutions about resources, guidelines and information available to coordinate and overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic.In the live interaction that was accessible on YouTube, the WCD minister asked the ministry to seek a list of children in need of psychological support in CCIs and work on a plan to see if tele-counselling services can be provided in collaboration with NIMHANS , Bangalore, in the current scenario.The WCD minister asserted that CCIs must ensure that decisions are taken in the “best interest of the child” and ensure that children stay where they are in keeping with the lockdown norms. She stated that if at all a child needs to be repatriated to his or her family in exceptional circumstances in the present situation, then the CCI and CWC must first inform the district magistrate and superintendent of police to ensure adequate checks and protection of the child.Meanwhile, the Childline call data shows that from March 20 to 31, there were over 1600 callers seeking coronavirus related information, and 237 were related calls regarding Covid -19 where the callers sought guidance and help to take sick children to hospitals.The online sessions were steered by experts including Dr Shekhar P Seshadri, a renowned psychiatrist and professor of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in NIMHANS, Bangalore; Tannistha Datta, child protection specialist from Unicef; Dr G S Khilnani, renowned chest and lung specialist from Pushpawati Singhania Hospital and Research Institute; and Harleen Walia deputy executive director, Childline India