Nineteen per cent of children in child care homes belong to poor families

Kathmandu, December 25

Two-thirds of children living in residential child care homes in ten districts of the country study in private schools, a report says.

A report on the Assessment of Alternative Care in Nepal and Quality Care in Residential Child Care Homes launched this week said of the total 4,365 children sampled in the report, 2,856 (65.43 per cent) study in private schools, while 1,045 (23.94 per cent) children study in public schools and 464 (10.63 per cent) children do not attend schools at all.

The report was jointly prepared by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare in coordination with SOS Children’s Villages Nepal. A total of 131 residential child care homes were monitored in 10 districts Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhakatpur, Chitwan, Kailali, Kaski, Kavre, Rupendehi, Sunsari and Surkhet.

It said a total of 493 residential child care homes are running in ten districts where a total of 13,892 children (7,019 girls and 6873 boys) are residing.

It said 18 residential child care homes (Bhaktapur-1, Chitwan-2, Kailali-0, Kaski-3, Kathmandu-4, Kavre-1, Lalitpur-0, Rupendehi-2, Sunsari-2 and Surkhet-3) out of 131 homes run their own schools. Of the 18 child care homes, six belong to SOS Children’s Villages Nepal alone.

Similarly, in two districts (Kailali and Lalitpur), none of the residential child care homes run their own school. It said all residential child care homes are located in the proximity of educational institutions.

It further said that the highest number of children not enrolled in schools was found in Chitwan. As far as the provision of non-formal education at home is concerned, only few households were found to have arranged a private tutor for their children.

Likewise, as per the report, 65 per cent residential child care homes said they took children to nearby hospitals as and when needed.

According to the report, of all the residential child care homes selected for the study, 118 provide residential facilities to both girls and boys, seven to girls only and six to boys only.

Similarly, 58 children are between 0 and 2 years, 424 children between 3 and 6 years, 1,509 children between 7 and 11 years, 2,134 children between 12 and 17 years, 197 children above 18 years and 43 were not reported.

It said the prevalence of disability among children residing in 131 residential child care homes is 4.19 per cent.

Nineteen per cent of children in child care homes belong to economically poor families.