Context of Care-Giving Work in Child-Care Institutions: A Study Conducted in Delhi

As primary out-of-home care alternative child-care institutions in India shoulder a crucial responsibility for the growth and development of a significant number of children in need of care and protection. Among the various stakeholders for child welfare, caregivers share the closest and continuous contact with children in care institutions. They can therefore greatly influence the success of rehabilitation programmes for child residents. The existing literature suggests that caregiving work doesn't exist by itself; rather, it is located in a context. This paper is derived from my research work on ‘care giving for children in need of care and protection, conducted in Delhi’. The research used a quantitative paradigm to study the context of care work comprising of three aspects including situational, relational and personal components. The research was conducted across fourteen child-care institutions for girls in Delhi. All the caregivers in these institutions were interviewed with the total number of caregivers as 50 (N = 50). To supplement the findings, the administrative heads of each of the child-care institution were also interviewed. The research findings brought out the trends and pattern regarding each of the components of care profession and the inter-linkages amongst them. This research made an attempt to lend voice to the caregivers who contribute a great deal in the rehabilitation of child residents but are mostly in the lowest rung in the hierarchical structure of care profession. The recommendations are derived from the suggestions and good practices shared by the caregivers and the administrative heads of child-care institutions in the study. These recommendations aim to build a framework for developing a motivated cadre of caregivers which in turn creates a constructive environment for child residents to achieve their fullest potential.