Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

ICDS is India's response to the challenge of meeting the holistic needs of the child, launched initially in 33 blocks, on October 2, 1975. Today, the ICDS is one of the world's largest and most unique programmes for early childhood care and development. It symbolises India's commitment to its children.

It is widely acknowledged that the young child is most vulnerable to malnutrition, morbidity, resultant disability and mortality. The early years are the most crucial period in life, when the foundations for cognitive, social, emotional, language, physical development and lifelong learning are laid. Recognising that early childhood development constitutes the foundation of human development, ICDS is designed to promote holistic development of children under six years, through the strengthened capacity of communities and improved access to basic services, at the community level. The programme is specifically designed to reach disadvantaged and low income groups, for effective disparity reduction.

The programme provides an integrated approach for converging basic services for improved childcare, early stimulation and learning, health and nutrition, water and environmental sanitation - targetting young children, expectant and nursing mothers and women groups. These target groups are reached through nearly 300,000 trained community-based Anganwadi workers and an equal number of helpers, supportive community structures/women groups - through the Anganwadi centre, the health system and the community.

ICDS provides increased opportunities for promoting early development, associated with improved enrolment and retention in the early primary stage and by releasing girls from the burden of sibling care, to enable them to participate in primary education. Poised for universal coverage by the turn of the century, ICDS today reaches out to 3.8 million expectant and nursing mothers and 17.8 million children (under six years of age), from disadvantaged groups. Of these, 10.2 million children (three to six years of age) participate in centre-based pre-school activities. The network consistes of 3907 projects, covering nearly 70 per cent of the country's community development blocks and 260 urban slum pockets.

Objectives of ICDS

Improve the nutritional and health status of children below the age of six years.

Lay the foundation for the proper psychological, physical and social development of the child.

Reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropouts.

Achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among various departments to promote child development.

Enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child, through proper health and nutrition education.

Health Services                                                       

Immunisation                                                          

Health check-ups                                          

Referral services                                                    

Nutrition

Supplementary feeding

Growth monitoring and promotion

Nutrition and health education (NHED)

Treatment of minor illnesses

Early Childhood Care and Pre-school Education 

To children in the age group of three to six years

Convergence

Of other support services, such as safe drinking water, environmental sanitation, women's empowerment programmes, non-formal education and adult literacy.