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oai:figshare.com:article/34029294 2026-09-30T04:14:05Z category_27646 item_type_11 month_year_09_2026

Evidence-based Social Audit of Child Care Institutions in Keralam Kiran Thampi (20777791) Jolly John Odathakkal (20742353) Reena Merin Cherian (25141227) Lija Mary Mathew (25141233) Social policy Social Auditing Child Care institutions Keralam KeSCPCR The Evidence-Based Social Audit of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in Kerala, as on 31 August 2026, was undertaken to assess the functioning, compliance, care practices and child-centred outcomes of Child Care Institutions across the State. The audit was commissioned by the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) and undertaken by the Department of Social Work, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Kalamassery.The social audit was designed as a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment extending beyond physical infrastructure and statutory compliance to examine the quality of care, protection, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, education, family and community linkages, child participation and preparation for independent living. The audit framework drew upon the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015; Juvenile Justice Model Rules, 2016; National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) guidelines; United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); Mission Vatsalya; Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) guidelines; and relevant health, mental-health and child-protection frameworks.A concurrent mixed-method approach was adopted to facilitate triangulation of evidence. The audit incorporated documentary verification, physical observation, institutional responses, staff interactions and participatory engagement with children. Child-friendly participatory approaches, including activities such as dream mapping and exploration of children's daily experiences, were incorporated to ensure that the perspectives of children formed an integral part of the assessment.As of 31 August 2026, the State-level database comprised 414 Child Care Institutions across all 14 districts of Kerala including Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Wayanad. The audit process progressed through multiple stages, beginning with preparatory review and tool development, followed by training and field-level verification. At the stage reported in this assessment, 164 CCIs had completed the required phases of the evidence-based social audit and were included in the detailed analysis. The report therefore recognises that the findings represent the institutions for which the requisite audit information was available and should be interpreted in light of the variation in district-level coverage.The findings indicate strong compliance in several foundational areas, particularly the maintenance of admission and discharge registers, staff and children's attendance records, and other basic institutional documentation. At the same time, the audit identifies important areas requiring systematic strengthening. These include documentation and case management, Individual Care Plans (ICPs), staff verification and qualifications, statutory inspections, disaster and fire-safety preparedness, psychosocial care, family restoration, aftercare, child participation and mechanisms for ensuring that institutional care remains oriented towards rehabilitation rather than merely residential accommodation.A significant finding concerns the continuity and completeness of children's case documentation. The audit identifies gaps in the availability of social background reports, social investigation reports, rehabilitation cards and Individual Care Plans. The findings indicate the need for a more systematic transfer of complete case documentation from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to the CCI at the time of placement. Similarly, the preparation and periodic review of ICPs require stronger coordination among the CWC, District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), Case Workers, Counsellors, children and families.The audit also identifies concerns relating to human resources and staff documentation. Gaps were observed in the availability of police verification records, appointment documentation, qualification certificates and specialised professional personnel. These findings highlight the importance of a standardised personnel verification and monitoring mechanism, together with structured induction and continuing capacity-building in child protection, the Juvenile Justice framework, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, psychosocial care and institutional procedures.Statutory monitoring and institutional oversight emerged as another area requiring attention. The findings indicate variation in the frequency of inspections and monitoring visits by statutory bodies. Strengthening regular inspection, documentation of corrective actions and follow-up mechanisms would contribute to greater accountability and continuous quality improvement across CCIs.The audit further highlights the need to strengthen child-centred and developmental dimensions of institutional care. While several CCIs demonstrate practices in education, sports, arts, vocational training, aftercare, family restoration, psychosocial support, environmental activities and community engagement, these practices are not uniformly institutionalised. The qualitative findings demonstrate that a number of CCIs have developed innovative approaches that can provide useful models for peer learning and replication across the State.The audit therefore recommends a shift towards a comprehensive continuum of care, in which CCIs function not merely as residential facilities but as spaces for care, protection, development, rehabilitation, restoration and preparation for independent living. This includes strengthening dynamic and outcome-oriented ICPs; family tracing and restoration; aftercare beyond 18 years; educational assessment and career guidance; certified vocational pathways; psychosocial support; child participation; child-friendly grievance mechanisms; preventive healthcare; recreational and developmental infrastructure; and systematic case management.An important strength emerging from the audit is the presence of good practices across individual institutions. These include family-like care, structured aftercare, support for higher education and employment, talent development in sports and arts, special-needs rehabilitation, environmental initiatives, creative enterprises, community engagement and livelihood-oriented activities. A State-level mechanism for documenting, sharing and scaling such practices could support continuous improvement across the CCI system.The audit emphasises that the ultimate measure of institutional care is not simply the availability of accommodation and services, but the extent to which every child receives individualised care, protection, participation, development, restoration and meaningful preparation for a safe and independent future. 2026-09-30T04:14:05Z Text Online resource 10.6084/m9.figshare.34029294.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/Evidence-based_Social_Audit_of_Child_Care_Institutions_in_Keralam/34029294 CC BY 4.0