“Current Aftercare Practices” (CAP) is a research study conducted in the State of Maharashtra, and is part of a multi-state study conducted in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi. The CAP study is an Udayan Care initiative, supported and funded by UNICEF, Tata Trusts and other partners; and is based on the premise that every child who leaves an Alternative Care setting on completing 18 years of age (or becomes a ‘Care Leaver’, ‘CL’ hereafter) needs extended support in the form of Aftercare. The CAP study gathers evidence through a scientific data collection process, consolidates knowledge and promising practices, and discusses gaps and challenges from multi-stakeholders’ perspective. At various stages, the study has employed participatory methods to incorporate the voices of CLs and critical feedback from key stakeholders and experts.
Based on Udayan Care’s experience in child protection, extensive literature review and from the findings of the pilot study conducted in Delhi in 2017, the Sphere of Aftercare has been developed as a conceptual and analytical framework for this report. This ‘Sphere of Aftercare’ comprehensively identifies 8 different domains of Aftercare, which are; affordable and adequate housing, independent living skills, interpersonal skills and social relationships, mental and emotional wellbeing, physical health, financial independence and career, education and vocational skills, and identity and legal awareness. The CAP study is designed to look at the support and services received by CLs from the objective lens of an ‘Aftercare Quality Index’(AQI), calculated using the scores within each of these 8 domains.
The report covers a total of 107 CLs from Maharashtra, comprising of 74 males and 33 females, from both Government and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) run Child Care Institutions (CCIs). The key findings of the study show that Maharashtra has a rich historical background of Aftercare, yet there is tremendous scope for further development. Although, much is happening on Aftercare in the State, there are many areas where we, as duty-bearers, need to rise to the call to meet the aspirations of the CLs.
