Restructuring Institutional Care: Challenges and Coping Measures for Children and Caregivers in Post-COVID-19 Era

Abstract

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has rattled the world and has severely compromised not only the public health system but has decelerated the global economy. In this backdrop, the article explores the dynamics of the institutional care of the out-of-home care (OHC) children, adolescents and children who are residing in alternative care homes, childcare institutes (CCIs), foster homes and who are in conflict with law like refugees or in juvenile correctional centres. The article attempts to highlight the risk factors and systematic barriers that CCIs and associated functionaries have been confronting in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. It would also catalogue the remedial, preventive and protective initiatives undertaken as best practices. The qualitative content analysis method is used to identify major themes related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and institutional care of children. Critical evaluation of literature reviews, published newspaper reports and articles and documentation of webinar proceedings is performed for theoretical and thematic conceptualisation of this article. The fundamental barriers that surfaced include financial barriers, health and nutrition, social justice, educational barriers, safety issues, administrative barriers, management, rehabilitation and integration of children living in CCIs and the ones who are leaving the CCIs. The unprecedented challenges have exposed the emergency unpreparedness and lacunae in functioning of CCIs in diverse ways. This has necessitated the undeniable need for reframing the regulatory directives for protection of child rights; accounting for the newer structural reforms aiming for standard operating procedures (SOPs); compliance and accountability guidelines; upgrading training and capacity building of the caregivers; addressing issues of psycho-social, mental health and well-being of the children and caregivers; building resilient coping strategies and enhancing the dignity, flexibility, inclusivity and sustainability in the responsive policy formulation regarding overall childcare system. This entails a multi-sectoral, participatory and coordinated approach as envisaged in United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) where the concerned stakeholders, including government legislations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil societies, grassroot organisations, individual CCIs and management staff, would ensure non-discriminatory measures protecting the best interests of the children.

A Scoping Review of Formal Care to Children with Special Needs during the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…There is an undeniable need for restructuring institutional care for children (Roy, 2021), in general, and for establishing separate institutional care for CSNs (Wanglar, 2021), in particular. In the Covid context, childcare institutions require financial packages for procuring food items and safety products such as face masks, gloves, PPE kits, and sanitizer (Karalam et al, 2021;Modi et al, 2021).…”

“…Organization-focused and individual-focused interventions are needed to support caregivers during a pandemic situation. Formulating policies is essential for the systematic training and capacity building of caregivers (Roy, 2021). However, home-centered care strategies and parental training are essential for caring for special-needs children (Karalam et al, 2021).…”

Creating Sustainable Early Childhood Learning Environments for Emergency Situations: The Case of Sweden, Kenya and South Africa

“…This implies that many do make use thereof, however the poorer households suffered more during the lockdown due to limited access to these resources. The greatest challenge in Kenya is still the training of caregivers and teachers of ECE as advanced skills are required to design and upload relevant, effective and interactive materials for learners to access ubiquitously (Roy, 2021). Parents in Kenya left their children without sufficient support when the lockdown eased as they had to go to work and/or give attention to the management of their businesses.…”

Psychosocial Effects and Public Health Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic in India

“…For these children, residential or institutional environments further increase their risk for poor outcomes during the pandemic. As Roy, S., [58] points out, nonresidential care providers were unable to provide in-person services and therefore children have had to further rely on overworked residential staff for activities facilitation, schooling and therapeutic services. Overcrowded institutions are also challenged by finding adequate quarantine space for children infected with the virus.…”