A large number of working children pose a barrier to our mission of “every child in school and learning well.” Pratham Council for Vulnerable Children has been working since 2001 with vulnerable and working children to help them receive basic education and live a better life.

The Council’s programs include prevention, rehabilitation, repatriation, rescue and education of vulnerable and working children. It is working in 7 states which form a network of the source states(from which child labour migrates) and the receiving states (where the child labour migrates to). 

The Council also plays a key role in influencing polices related to working children.  PCVC has become a key partner with state governments in drafting official protocol in dealing with rescued children and advising legislation concerning child labour. In addition, they are working on replicable task force models with the government and advocacy and policy changes to ensure that the cities that they are working in are Child Labour Free.

The PCVC has also set up a number of residential schools to teach children who have been rescued, but whose circumstances do not allow them to return to their families. There are three such schools in Mumbai and three in Bihar.