Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T12:22:37.621Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Udayan Ghars (Sunshine Homes): A Unique Model as a Developmental Support to Children in Institutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2014

Kiran Modi*
Affiliation:
Udayan Care, New Delhi, India
Ksera Dyette
Affiliation:
Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
Monisha C. Nayar-Akhtar
Affiliation:
Indian Institute of Psychotherapy Training in New Delhi, India; PCOP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Antra
Affiliation:
Udayan Care, New Delhi, India
*
address for correspondence: Kiran Modi, Ph.D., Founder Managing Trustee, Udayan Care, 16/97-A, 1st Floor, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar-IV, New Delhi -110024India. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The challenges to providing healthy and appropriate developmental experiences to vulnerable children in an institutionalised setting remain enormous. At Udayan Care orphanage, children arrive at our doorstep with unimaginable trauma. Udayan Care, a non-governmental organisation in India, has modelled its 13 Children's Homes and three Aftercare facilities on a holistic group care model; where small numbers of children are placed together in an apartment in a community to address their traumatic experiences and other life adversities within the context of this new environment. This paper details how, with limited funds, Udayan Care has been able to tackle the challenges of providing homes where children can undergo the slow process of healing, surrounded by supportive and dedicated professionals (carers) who do their best to meet their ongoing developmental needs. These carers work on obstacles affecting the children, concentrating their energies on aiding them in developing more secure and healthy attachments, adaptive emotional regulation skills, and capacities for resilience within the context of holding a vision for their futures. Our homes draw upon staff and the local community in unique ways to foster these developmental goals. This paper focuses especially on how issues of retention and lack of sufficient funds impact on recruiting lifetime volunteers (Mentor Parents), training volunteers and supporting them in their ongoing work. Additionally, this paper highlights ways in which we have addressed coping with these obstacles, through recruiting experts trained abroad to lead in-person and online workshops for our carers. These adjustments have led to better outcomes overall for the children we care for.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bruskas, D. (2008). Children in foster care: A vulnerable population at risk. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 21 (2), 7077.Google Scholar
Dowdell, E. B., & Cavanaugh, D. J. (2009). Caregivers of victimized children: Differences between biological parents and foster caregivers. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 47 (6), 2936.Google Scholar
Dozier, M., Zeanah, C. H., Wallin, A. R., & Shauffer, C. (2011). Institutional care for young children: Review of literature and policy implications. Social Issues and Policy Review, 6 (1), 125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maitra, S., Chakrabarti, S., Bhaskar, S., Pratap, R., & Shanthi, R. (2012). Children in India, 2012 – a statistical appraisal. New Delhi: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India. Retrieved from http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_new/upload/Children_in_India_2012.pdfGoogle Scholar
Morgan, R. (2004). Children's views on restraint: The views of children and young people in residential homes and residential special schools. London: Commission for Social Care Inspection.Google Scholar
National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development. (2012). Data base of child care institutions – registered under Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act (2000, as amended in 2006). New Delhi: NIPCCD. Retrieved from http://nipccd.nic.in/reports/dsmdata.pdfGoogle Scholar
The St. Petersburg–USA Orphanage Research Team. (2008). The effects of early social emotional and relationship experience on the development of young orphanage children. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 73, 1262.Google Scholar
UNICEF. (2010). United Nations guidelines for alternative care of children. United Nations General Assembly, 64th session. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/protection/alternative_care_Guidelines-English%282%29.pdfGoogle Scholar
UNICEF. (2013). Statistics by country (India). Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.htmlGoogle Scholar
World Health Organisation. (2005). Mental health atlas. Evidence and Research Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/atlas/global_results.pdfGoogle Scholar