The report ‘Educating Rescued Children – Critical Analysis & Emerging Narratives’ by illume research is the culmination of research focused on analysing the educational opportunities offered by Salaam Baalak Trust to rescued children who make their way to the shelter homes run by the trust. In addition, the research also drew upon the expertise of a cross-section of individuals in leadership positions of organisations working with children from marginalised or traumatised backgrounds.
The research opened a Pandora’s box on the complexities of dealing with and designing learning opportunities for children in shelter homes. The children who reach the shelter homes come from diverse backgrounds – neglect, abuse, and separation from families. Some could have been through a formal schooling system, while others could be completely unlettered. Then, there are children with special needs and those who have no trace of their identity.
The report explores how the learning environment is shifting not just for children from rescued homes but for children in general, the specific challenges that stakeholders grapple with when they are dealing with rescued children, the barriers that can come in the way and effective strategies for helping them integrate into the mainstream school system and most critical of all – helping them develop their moral compass.
Some of the questions the report attempts to answer include:
- While the discourse on learning at a societal level is moving towards ‘individualised learning’ and looking at the child as a whole, how does one balance the needs of an individual child with the needs of a system that caters to so many diverse children?
- In light of the report’s exploration of the fragmented nature of interventions in the education sector, what innovative and collaborative approaches can be adopted to cultivate a genuine sense of ownership and responsibility for learning and personal growth among rescued children?
Earlier we used to look at the child as a whole. Ek bachhe ko sab kuch dena hai. In recent times thematic interventions have started to happen globally. That led to a thematic focus and de-emphasised the child as a whole. A set of people only started to focus on literacy, and another set on access. If the child needs a shirt, earlier we used to ensure that we give the child a shirt, then global organisations came along and said — impact at scale and hence we started to create just collars for 1 lakh children.
- How can shelter homes navigate the tension between providing a safe and structured environment and fostering the agency and decision-making skills necessary for these children to successfully transition to independent living after the age of eighteen
- Considering that in shelter homes, healing and learning happen together – how can the insights from Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning (SEEL) and mindfulness practices be more deeply integrated into the daily practices and curricula of shelter homes to foster a sense of inner resilience and equip both children and staff with the tools to navigate trauma and build meaningful connections.
Based on the inputs given by a multitude of stakeholders, several areas stand out as particularly insightful regarding the education and well-being of rescued children:
1. Navigating the complex terrain of agency and accountability
There is a very thin line between regulating and controlling. It is very deep work, it is not a skill that you acquire overnight. How can you be firm while still being polite? In the short term, the structured and regimented approach helps and it has its merit. You learn the value of time, efficiency, productivity, discipline and all those things are necessary given the extent of competition in India. The concept of agency is not just misunderstood among students but also organisations. Employees want freedom but no accountability. All the successful democratic schools talk about agency and accountability going hand in hand.
2. The evolving role of the adult in the system from being a conduit of knowledge to a catalyst that lights a spark within a child
3. The power of experiential learning, stories in theatre as powerful mediums for engaging rescued children, developing their moral compass, fostering empathy, and providing safe spaces for expression
4. The importance of cultivating ownership and a ‘pull’ factor in learning
Once ownership comes in, then it is not a push, it is a pull. So what can we do to create that sense of ownership? They need to ‘ask’ for what they need. It can’t be offered on a platter since children will start to devalue it. What they need and what the caregivers feel they need could be different. At first, the children would just need a safe space. From there they would need a space to learn. But the transition of moving from safe space to space to learn would have to be made by them. If you give it to them, that emanates from your perception of what the person needs.
5. The underrated aspect of the mental well-being of the adults in shelter homes and building their emotional and spiritual quotient as a conduit to nurture these qualities in children. Social-emotional learning is not a box to be ticked but it is a complex continuum of unlearning and relearning on the part of everyone involved.
Life in a shelter home is a unique and complex world. It reminds us that solutions emerge by following the trail of cues that problems leave behind for us and that, a truly relevant curriculum isn’t static, it is a living entity that evolves with each interaction between the adult and the child.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the stakeholders — SBT Trustees, Alumni, Educators, Counsellors, and organizational leaders — whose insights, experiences, and commitment made this research possible.
This article draws from a research report done by Reshma Bachwani of Illume in February 2025.
