CHETNA
CHETNA
Qualitative impact validation and process evaluation of the Day Care Centre programme, which aims to improve children's nutrition, make them school-ready through Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), and enable their mothers to go to work
Partner/Client
CHETNA (Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness)
Sector
Non-profit, Early Childhood Development
Location
Jhagadia, Bharuch, Gujarat
Key Highlights
The study covered six childcare centres —4 Day Care Centres (DCCs) and 2 Anganwadi Centres (government village centres providing child nutrition and pre-school services). The qualitative study included 5 mothers’ group discussions, 2 fathers’ group discussions, staff interviews, stakeholder interviews, and observations across all 6 centres.
Health and nutrition practices improved at home. Mothers reported that children were more likely to wash their hands before eating, consume less packaged food, and fall sick less frequently.
Children appeared more confident and school-ready. Parents and teachers described children attending the DCCs as more confident, better prepared for school, and more comfortable interacting with others.
Reliable childcare supported mothers’ livelihoods. Mothers shared that access to full-day, dependable childcare enabled them to work more regularly, while giving them greater peace of mind about their children’s safety and care.
Fathers recognised the value of childcare for women’s work. Fathers acknowledged that managing household responsibilities alongside earning an income can be difficult for women without childcare support, and most expressed support for sending their children to the DCCs.
Impact Validation and Process Evaluation of Day Care Centres
In Jhagadia, many parents work in factories, farms, or as daily-wage workers and often rely on grandparents, older siblings, or neighbours to care for young children. Anganwadi Centres enrol children only from the age of three and operate for limited hours, leaving a gap in accessible, full-day childcare for younger children.
CHETNA addresses this need through 13 Day Care Centres (DCCs) across 8 villages, providing care for children aged 1 to 6 years from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each centre brings together safe childcare, nutritious meals, and ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education, a play-based approach to early learning) in a supportive environment.
The study found that CHETNA has established a structured and child-friendly environment that responds to the needs of children and families in the community. Children followed a consistent daily routine, while staff were observed interacting with them with patience, care, and warmth. The study also highlighted individual experiences that illustrate the value of the DCCs.
One grandmother shared that her granddaughter joined the DCC soon after turning one. As the child's mother is separated and the family's sole earner, she was unable to leave her job to provide full-time care.
The child now looks forward to attending the centre each day and has developed positive habits around eating and sharing. Alongside validating the programme's contribution to children's well-being and parents' ability to work, the study also generated insights to inform the design and implementation of Phase II of the programme.
Research Tools
Structured observation checklists at DCCs and Anganwadi Centres
Focus group discussions (FGDs) with mothers and fathers
Key informant interviews (KIIs, one-to-one interviews with people who know the programme well) with DCC workers, an Anganwadi Worker, the CHETNA team, the funder and government officials
Review of CHETNA's programme records and comparative studies
Approach
The study used a qualitative approach. The team selected centres from both industrial and tribal villages, and used Anganwadi Centres as a comparison group. The team compared what mothers, fathers, staff , and officials said with what the team saw at the centres. This qualitative evidence supported the positive trends in CHETNA's monitoring data and added families' voices to the programme's story. The findings will support CHETNA's Phase II planning.
ECCE | Impact Validation | Process Evaluation | Qualitative Research
