(ECNS) – China will step up management of information on "left-behind" children in rural areas, according to a new rule that is set to take effect on March 1, the Beijing Times reported on Friday.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the Central Committee Office for Comprehensive Social Management of China, and the Standardization Administration of China officially announced on Thursday a national standard on basic data for comprehensive social management of left-behind children.
Data on left-behind children and people with severe mental illnesses will include information such as name, age and address, as well as care received, their difficulties and needs, and assessments of potential risks they pose to society.
The data will be shared through a comprehensive platform to improve management of these groups.
China has some 60 million children left behind by their parents, who are employed as migrant workers in cities, according to media reports. Often lacking proper care, many of these children suffer from anxiety, accidents and even sexual assaults, while some others are involved in anti-social behavior or commit crimes.
