Counselling centre at DC office to remain open twice a week

The Child Counselling Centre located at the Deputy Commissioner’s office will now be open for two days a week — Wednesday and Saturday — to provide counselling to children.

Additional District Magistrate (Protocol) Jyoti Rana will also be present at the counselling centre. Earlier, the centre used to remain open only once in a week on Wednesday.

Sharing the details, the ADM said the centre offers counselling services for children up to the age of 18. With the increasing number of family-related issues and drug activities, the centre plays a key role in providing children with the right guidance.

She also said that she had voluntarily decided to sit at the centre for an additional day, giving her the opportunity to engage directly with the children and guide them. To help kids grow in the right direction, collective efforts are essential.

“The Child Counselling Centre here already has a counsellor, Manoj Kumar Sehgal. He has been serving there for a long time. On an average, 15 to 20 children visit the centre every month. With the centre now being open two days a week, it will benefit more children by allowing them to provide help to as many kids as possible,” she said.

“The centre encourages them to make the right decisions in life. The centre offers social, emotional, educational, behavioural and psychological support to children. Moreover, it helps them identify their strengths, provides career counselling, gives equal opportunities to children with special needs, helps them become responsible members of society, and assists in coping with stressful situations,” Jyoti Rana added.