Listen, I am too responsible! Effect of schooling on sense of trust, responsibility and belongingness to the community of children working on the street in Chandigarh City, India. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kathuria, Tripti; Pandya, Apurva kumar
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 119(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Street children -- Working children -- Schooling -- Moral values -- India; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105527
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Highlights: Sense of belongingness, school & family adjustment was statistically significant among school-going children working on the street compared to their counterparts. Benefits of schooling can be extended through existing Government programs particularly Integrated Child Protection Scheme and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. Future research on large sample would be insightful. Abstract: Children working on the street are the most vulnerable and are at greater risk of exploitation. Therefore, building the strong ties between the school, family and community of the child can protect the child from various risks and thus can provide opportunities for healthy development. Schooling is instrumental in promoting sense of trust, responsbility towards community and moral values of children, however, in this domain, much of the research was done with youth, not with adolescents. The present study examined sense of trust, responsibility towards community and moral values of school going as well non-school going children (between 13 and 16 years of age) who were living with their parents in slums and spending most of their time working on the streets of Chandigarh city, India. Results revealed that school has emerged as an agency promoting a child's sense of belongingness (F = 4.15, p < .05), school (F = 15.02, p < .001) & family adjustment (F = 6.17, p < .01). Although trust and responsibility toward community was not statistically significant, the mean value of them was higher among school-going children (M = 12.80, ± 2.57) compared to non-school going working children (M = 11.04, ± 4.44). The present study highlights statistically significant positive outcomes of schooling on child's sense of belongingness and adjustment in school as well as with family. Benefits of schooling can be extended through existing Government programs particularly Integrated Child Protection Scheme and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan by linking working children on the street with the schools. At the same time, efforts should be directed towards educating parents or guardians on the importance of schooling; encourage them to send their children to the school and actively participate in children's education. Future research on large sample would be insightful.