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Advocacy Research And Training

Challenge

Research on child rights in India faces several significant challenges that impede effective programming and budgeting. Key issues include limited data availability and quality, as well as social and political barriers. Reliable, up-to-date data on various aspects of child rights, particularly for children and youth without parental care, is scarce.

Even when available data is scattered across various governmental and non-governmental agencies, it leads to inconsistencies and difficulties in compiling a comprehensive picture. This fragmentation hinders the assessment of the actual situation and progress over time. Additionally, a gap between policy and practice complicates the evaluation of the real impact of these measures. Research in this field often receives less funding than other sectors, which affects the scope, scale, and quality of research projects. The interdisciplinary nature of child rights research, intersecting with law, sociology, psychology, and economics, requires a holistic approach that is often challenging to achieve in practice.

The child protection social workforce is the first line of response for vulnerable and at-risk children, families, individuals, and communities. However, stakeholders often lack the knowledge and skills to use tools and techniques that ensure the well-being of those they serve. This includes providing preventative, responsive, and promotive services to alleviate poverty, reduce discrimination, promote social justice and equity, and prioritize children’s and youth’s well-being.

Our Approach

Udayan Care champions children’s rights in alignment with the Indian Constitution, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through advocacy, research, publications, and training programs. While our child and youth care (CYC) practice is rooted in India, our ART (Advocacy, Research, and Training) efforts have a global impact, promoting CYC approaches and building narratives that support them.

We believe in people-centric advocacy, empowering civil society members and organizations to take responsibility for improving the situation of vulnerable populations. Our work on care leavers has significantly influenced aftercare policy and practice in India.

Udayan Care aims to address research limitations, improve care practices through evidence generation, and promote the mainstream integration of children and young people without parental care. Through our international academic journal, we provide a platform for sharing insights and fostering dialogue on law and practice, bringing together practitioners, academics and policymakers. We remain committed to fostering collaboration and participation to expand the scope and depth of scientific inquiry and expertise.

Achievements

2005

Udayan Care successfully filed and won a public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court to include the ‘Guardian’ column in Board exam application forms, previously limited to ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’. This change helped vulnerable children, especially those without parents, fill out the forms.

2005

2011

The Government of India acknowledged Udayan Care’s efforts to promote a group foster care model in its report to the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

2011

2014

We initiated the Biennial International Conference on Alternative Care (BICON), which has become Asia’s leading advocacy platform for care reforms. We also launched the first academic journal on Alternative Care and Family Strengthening, which is now co-published with SAGE publications and listed in the prestigious UGC Care.

2014

2019

We conducted a seminal multi-state research study on Aftercare, interviewing over 450 youth and 100 stakeholders. This study has significantly influenced Aftercare policy and practice in India.

2019

2020

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we convened the first International Care Leavers Conference, bringing together over 100 care leavers from more than 20 countries. This led to a Declaration by participants and the formation of a strong Global Care Leavers Community, which provides a safe space for care-experienced individuals worldwide.

2020

2021

We led a national FGD for care leavers to collect their voices for submission at the UN Day of General Discussions (DGD).

2021

2024

Udayan Care launched the podcast “Care Conversations,” a five-episode series featuring insights from global experts on child and youth care (CYC).  The podcast can be accessed here.

2024

Research

In 2017, Udayan Care launched the “Current Aftercare Practices” (CAP) study to ensure that Care Leavers are granted their rights. This pioneering study examined existing aftercare programs and provisions from the perspectives of Care Leavers and key informants. Concluding in April 2019, the study covered Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan and was published as the “Beyond 18” study. The recommendations from various stakeholders have shaped our interventions for care leavers and informed the Vatsalya scheme’s Aftercare policy, including the incorporation of the Individual Aftercare Plan. Udayan Care has presented numerous papers at international forums, and over 80 research papers have been published.

Training

Udayan Care has trained over 8,300 functionaries across more than 18 states in India on juvenile justice, independent living, aftercare, case management, and family-based care. As of March 2024, all training follows the KABS methodology, enhancing Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior, and Skills with pre-post analysis to measure outcomes. We have curated three customized curricula:
  1. FBAC Package: 13 modules for training child protection functionaries.
  2. My Space My Action: 16 modules for children aged 15 to 18 in residential care.
  3. Work-Life Readiness: 23 modules for care leavers aged 18 and above.
The Learning and Development team conducts year-round capacity-building sessions for our in-house workforce, including regular training on PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) and POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace).

Research

In 2017, Udayan Care launched the “Current Aftercare Practices” (CAP) study to ensure that Care Leavers are granted their rights. This pioneering study examined existing aftercare programs and provisions from the perspectives of Care Leavers and key informants. Concluding in April 2019, the study covered Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan and was published as the “Beyond 18” study. The recommendations from various stakeholders have shaped our interventions for care leavers and informed the Vatsalya scheme’s Aftercare policy, including the incorporation of the Individual Aftercare Plan. Udayan Care has presented numerous papers at international forums, and over 80 research papers have been published.

Training

Udayan Care has trained over 8,300 functionaries across more than 18 states in India on juvenile justice, independent living, aftercare, case management, and family-based care. As of March 2024, all training follows the KABS methodology, enhancing Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior, and Skills with pre-post analysis to measure outcomes. We have curated three customized curricula:
  1. FBAC Package: 13 modules for training child protection functionaries.
  2. My Space My Action: 16 modules for children aged 15 to 18 in residential care.
  3. Work-Life Readiness: 23 modules for care leavers aged 18 and above.
The Learning and Development team conducts year-round capacity-building sessions for our in-house workforce, including regular training on PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) and POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace).