Jinan's new 'safe haven' gets 17 babies since opening

By noon Tuesday, the shelter for abandoned babies in Jinan, Shandong province, has received 17 abandoned babies and children since its opening on June 1, according to the Jinan Children’s Welfare Institution, which runs the shelter.

China now has 25 such "safe havens" for abandoned children. The first one was established in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, in 2011.

Several shelters have reported that they have faced difficulties because the number of abandoned babies they received exceeded their expectations.

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, suspended the trial operation of its safe haven in March after receiving 262 babies and children after it opened in January.

Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu province, has installed surveillance cameras in its safe haven to prevent parents from abandoning children, as the number of babies received has been surging since its opening in December.

The safe havens that are scheduled to open in Zhengzhou, Henan province, and Urumqi, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on June 1 have been delayed.

However, Cai Hanming, deputy director of the Jinan Children’s Welfare Institution, said the institution is able to run the safe haven well.

In addition to 100 beds, the institution has a 200-square-meter room in place for babies and children, the Jinan Children’s Welfare Institution said.

The institution has workers on duty round-the-clock.

Covering 13 square meters, the safe haven in Jinan is a two-floor building, with the first floor storing medical devices and the second floor receiving babies.

The safe haven is painted with colors of pink and green with the eaves painted with cartoon images. Windows are decorated with cartoon stickers to protect privacy.