Early Childhood Care & Development (ECCD)
APSA believes that all children, irrespective of caste or class have the right to enjoy good health. However, in cities, children of migrant workers suffer neglect, lack of safety, lack of education and poor nutrition because their parents are away at work all day. Risk of safety, kidnapping or trafficking are high because of the slum conditions where they live.
Despite a slew of legal provisions and welfare schemes, many migrant construction and other migrant workers and their families are unaware of their entitlements under the law. Their children lack protection, education, nutrition, health, etc. because their welfare is not covered by any specific government department. Often, older girl children are kept back at home for domestic work and childcare, thus losing out on life opportunities through schooling. Proper childhood care and development can prevent malnutrition, disability, accidents, risk of children going into beggary or onto the streets, besides providing foundation care and education; and providing mothers with safe spaces to leave their children while they are at work.
Over 75% of these workers are from the marginalised SC/ST communities. In 2015, APSA conceived of a project in its working areas in Bengaluru city to benefit under-6 children. The Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) project for children between 3-6 years old from domestic worker and migrant construction worker families living in Bengaluru slums started with 3 creches and has today grown to a total of 8 centres. The project is in line with one of the national priorities: child care and protection for vulnerable children.
Through the creches started under the project, APSA has been able to provide nutrition, immunization, early childhood education, and safe space for the children. APSA has also been able to reach the parents to increase their awareness of better childcare practices, nutrition, health & hygiene, importance of immunization and schooling (in particular for girls). APSA staff visit homes to encourage families to enrol their children in the creches. Periodic health camps are organized in the creches especially for the women and children. Any major health issues or illnesses detected are referred to government or charitable hospitals for free or subsidized treatment. The 8 creches benefit some 250 children on average annually, and since inception, has been able to help nearly 1000 children. Once the children reach the age of 6, they are mainstreamed into the formal school system. APSA has mainstreamed at least 75% of the total child beneficiaries into government schools.
