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China's first temporary shelter for children in plight will be built in Shanghai to protect those whose parents fail to fulfill their obligations.

"We will first accept kids abandoned or abused when their parents are being criminally prosecuted and will have a specialized welfare home for them in probably two years," said Xu Jun, director of the civil affairs bureau's social department in Changning district.

The shelter will be opened in a new social assistance center, which will be put into use in April, Xu said.

The idea for the shelter came from the court because judges often encountered cases in which minors were abandoned when parents were involved in civil lawsuits.

"Sometimes both parties in a divorce dispute claimed they didn't want the child and turned away, leaving the child at the court, in which case the judge would bring the child home," said Qian Xiaofeng, a judge at the juvenile court of Changning District People's Court.

But that is not a long-term solution, he said, and they want to make use of government resources to shoulder the rights of custody because "a country is the highest guardian of children", Qian said.

In the temporary shelter, volunteers will take care of the children and help with their school work. Psychological counseling will be provided.

The plan of the shelter was also hastened by recent cases of child abuse, Qian said.

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