China plans to expand a pilot program that has so far dedicated child-welfare officers to 120 villages across the country, in an effort to help children in plight, a senior official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs revealed on Friday.

Xu Jianzhong, the deputy head of the ministry's department of social welfare and charity promotion, said the central government will roll out the practice nationwide when the pilot program ends in 2015.

"Village welfare officers help the government to understand children's needs and make sure children enjoy basic social welfare and protection services," he told China Daily after the launch of Child Welfare Week in Beijing, to mark International Children's Day, which falls on Saturday.