2025, Vol. 7, Issue 7, Part B

Author(s): Mushtaq and Mohd Shad Qureshi

Abstract: The transition from institutional care to independent adulthood remains a fragile and under-examined process in the Indian child protection system. Although the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Mission Vatsalya mandate the provision of structured aftercare services—including housing, education, identity documentation, mental health support, and employment—their actual implementation remains uneven and poorly monitored. This study investigates the aftercare experiences of ten male care leavers from a Child Care Institution (CCI) in Delhi using a qualitative case study approach. Drawing on in-depth interviews with care leavers and institutional staff, the study uncovers key gaps in transition planning, employability training, emotional preparedness, and post-exit follow-up. Thematic analysis reveals that Individual Aftercare Plans (IAPs) were either absent or informally executed, vocational training was outdated and uncertified, and mental health needs were largely unmet. Despite policy frameworks emphasizing reintegration and rehabilitation, aftercare delivery remains dependent on the ad hoc efforts of overburdened institutions. These findings are contextualized within the broader literature on aftercare models, including the Sphere of Aftercare framework proposed by Udayan Care and global best practices endorsed by the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. The article offers targeted policy recommendations to strengthen aftercare outcomes, including formalized mentorship systems, market-linked skill programs, care leaver networks, digital inclusion initiatives, and data-informed budgeting. The study contributes to bridging the research gap on aftercare in India and underscores the urgent need to transform aftercare from a peripheral obligation into a central pillar of child welfare policy and practice.

DOI: 10.22271/multi.2025.v7.i7b.728

Pages: 87-94 | Views: 781 | Downloads: 318

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