China to enhance welfare net for children living in difficulty

China will further improve basic living condition, healthcare, education, and personal security of children living in difficulty due to financial problem, disabilities, abandonment, or improper family custody to improve the nation's welfare net.

According to a newly released guideline by the State Council, China's Cabinet, children from low-income families and with severe diseases or severe disabilities will enjoy minimum living allowance. The assistance to children living in difficulty will be further extended from materials to psychological care. The guideline was made public on Friday night.

Under the guideline, local authorities are required to increase rehabilitation services to disabled children by improving management of designated rehabilitation institutes and services quality.

In addition to policy and financial support to the education of children living in difficulty, the guideline stresses psychological care to the children by performing mental health assessment and offering them consultancy services.

The guideline said that any illegal behavior of teaching, threatening, inveigling, or making use of children living in difficulty will be strictly punished. The local authorities should get the harmed children properly resettled if they can't return to previous living environment.