Critics claim safe havens encourage baby abandonment

A safe haven for abandoned children under construction in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, has been criticized as encouraging the abandonment of babies, Modern Express reported on Tuesday.

According to Zhu Hong, director of the city’s welfare home for children, the home is building a safe haven in a one-room prefabricated house next to the welfare home’s gate. The house will have incubators, cribs and air-conditioning. People who leave babies there can press a button to notify staff in the institute there is a baby to take care of.

Some critics suggested the program encouraged discarding babies but Zhu said it was a good way to protect abandoned children.