The impact of institutional care on the lives of children a study of childrens institutions in Punjab and Chandigarh

Abstract

A very large number of children live without parental care in the entire world. Poverty is considered to be the main reason behind institutionalisation of the children because 80 percent of children living in care have at least one parent alive. The present study emphasizes on the trends of institutional care in India where the large population is poor. Keeping in view the socio-economic conditions of the country, it is an attempt to explore the challenges and living conditions of children in institutional care run by government and non-governmental organisations in the regions of Punjab and Chandigarh in Northern India. The findings of the study are based on the empirical data that included institutionalised children, caregivers and guardians or parents of institutionalised children living in five different children s institutions. The study also provides suitable recommendations for better alternative care and the ways to improve quality of care in children s institutions in countries with large populations of vulnerable children. newline