To act as a think tank, catalyst and inventor of child rights, child protection and child development programmes by pursuing capacity building of child development functionaries, research and evaluation, networking, consultancy and advisory services as well as provision of specialised services through inter-disciplinary teams.

• Develop and promote voluntary action in social development through training & capacity building of Government and Non-Government functionaries;
• Take a comprehensive view of child development through research and develop tools/design for supporting implementation of Government schemes and programmes and;
• Coordinate Meetings of MWCD with Stakeholders under different Schemes/Programmes and Policies for furthering the objectives and provide feedback.

• An apex institution for the training of functionaries of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and functionaries of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS);
• Building the training capabilities of institutions engaged in the training of ICDS/ICPS functionaries & trainers;
• Providing training to the functionaries engaged in implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls - SABLA;
• Imparting training to the functionaries engaged in implementation of Conditional Maternity Benefit Scheme - Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahayog Yojana (IGMSY);
• Preparing and procuring training materials for ICDS/ICPS;
• Monitoring and supervision of ICDS;
• Functioning as a technical support arm of the Government in matters pertaining to development/welfare of both mother and child;
• Complementing national policies and programmes for women's development through training, research and documentation at the policy making and macro level;
• Conducting research and training programmes sponsored by various Central Ministries and State Governments;
• Providing demonstration services for capacity building of trainees through Child Care Centre, Child Guidance Clinic and Adolescent Guidance Services Centre;
• Advocacy and capacity building of officers of Central and State Government departments on Gender issues;
• Awareness generation, sensitisation and training to NGOs for prevention of trafficking of women and children;
• Filling gaps in legislative framework through evaluating different schemes of various departments of Central and State Government;
• Providing support to Childline India Foundation for organizing training programmes;
• Coordinating meetings of Ministry of Women and Child Development with stakeholders and providing feedback.

• Early childhood care and development.
• Health and nutrition of the young child and mothers.
• Infant and Young Child Feeding.
• Prevention of micronutrient malnutrition.
• Adolescent health, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.
• Growth monitoring.
• Nutrition and Health Education.
• Child guidance and counselling.
• Early detection and prevention of childhood disabilities.
• Learning and behavioural problems of children and parent education.
• Child rights and Child Protection.
• Juvenile justice.
• Women?s empowerment and Gender mainstreaming.
• Holistic development of adolescent girls and family life education.
• Prevention of child marriage, female foeticide and female infanticide
• Counselling and support services for women in distress.
• Formation and management of self help groups.
• Prevention of trafficking of women and children.
• Prevention of Gender Based Violence.
• Gender Budgeting.
• Gender sensitisation of law enforcement agencies.
• Partnership initiatives of Government/social organisations in the area of child development.
• Manpower Development in Social Development sector.
• Capacity Building of civil society organisations.

Public Cooperation Division

The main thrust of this division is working with Civil Society Organisations for promotion of community consciousness, voluntary action and people's participation in programmes aimed at integrated development of the child and the mother. Accordingly its main concerns are promotion of child's right, care and rehabilitation of the children in difficult circumstances, project formulation and management of mother and child care programs, policies and legislation concerning children, community mobilization and action, networking with non-governmental organisations and their capacity building with the ultimate object of community empowerment.

The Division comprises of five units namely Social Action & Community Participation, Child Care, Management, Children of Weaker Sections and Social Policy Legislation.

Child Development Division

This division functions as a policy arm of the government in matters pertaining to the development/welfare of the child and the mother. The focus of this division is on maternal and child health, micro - nutrients, early childhood care and education, early detection and prevention of childhood disabilities, positive mental health in children and child care support services. The division comprises units related to Health, Nutrition, Pre-school Education and Psycho-social Development.  This division provides a platform to debate and discuss important national and regional issues which form the basis of policy decisions by the Government of India.

It runs three Field Demonstration Services namely a Child Care Centre, a Child Guidance Clinic and Adolescent Guidance Services Centre.

Women's Development Division

The activities of this division are geared to complementing national policies and programmes for women's development through training, research, documentation,clearing house, management services at the policy making and macro level. It is currently active in gender sensitisation of the law enforcement machinery and national machinery,  elected women members of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Women's empowerment.

Common Services Division

Supportive service to programme divisions at the Headquarters and the Regional Centres are provided by the Common Services Division. It is mainly concerned with financial, personnel management and housekeeping functions of Institute.

It also looks after coordination and monitoring of projects assisted by the Institute. The Division has a well-equipped Reprography and Publication Unit.

Training Division

The Training Division is specifically entrusted with the responsibility of planning, coordinating and monitoring the training of ICDS manpower. Its responsibilities include building up of training infrastructure and capabilities of institutions engaged in the training of ICDS functionaries; curriculum development and its updation and preparation and procurement of training material including print and audio visual aids.

The Division is currently involved in revision of curriculum for ICDS functionaries and development of skill based thematic programme on new topics emerged from the strengthening & restructuring of ICDS in mission mode. The Central Monitoring Unit of ICDS has also been located in the Division.

Monitoring Evaluation Division

This Division is engaged in providing technical inputs in strengthening the system for monitoring of social components of ICDS and other programmes of child welfare and development. The Division is also responsible for bringing out status reports on the situation of the child in India and other statistical compilations on various facets of the life of children.

It conducts research and evaluation studies in collaboration with professional and technical institutions and organises courses on monitoring and evaluation as also Qualitative methods in Social Science research for the faculty members of the Universities across the country.