Alakyam Stream - Pariyaram

 

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PCS 2 : PRACTICUM - Emotional Stress of Children staying in Orphanages

Emotional Stress of Children Staying in Orphanages

Introduction

 

            Children staying in Orphanages are more prone to behavioral and emotional problems than others as they are deprived of a family's love and care. Children and adolescents have always been an important focus of study for mental health researchers. Studies have highlighted emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, and difficulties in social interaction as well as behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and conduct problems in them. Though shelter is the basic human requirement of human being, it is not the only aim of Orphanages. The goals of these homes include protection, education, physical and mental development and so on. But often Children exposed to Orphanages do not receive the type of nurturing and stimulating environment needed for normal growth and healthy psychological development. 

        As part of M.Ed Curriculum, I got the opportunity to visit one of the prominent Orphanages- Ursuline Girls’ Home, Punchakkad in Kannur District. I visited this institution and stayed with those inmates for five days. I believe that these days were indeed the purposeful five days in my life.

Ursuline Girls’ Home, Punchakkad

            The site- Ursuline Girls home, Punchakkad – where I visited is indeed, an esteemed charitable institution of this locality. The Ursuline Girls Home was established by Ursuline Congregation in 1939 at Payyambalam and later it was shifted to Punchakkad in 1943 and in the same year the first filial House at Punchakkad, was opened under the guidance of Mother Margaret Benocci.. Then, in 1953 some of the girls from Mattul orphanage were also shifted to Punhakkad Ursuline Girls home.  The aim of this home is to uplift the poor girls and for the socially and economically backward families. Almost 24 Ursuline Sisters worked hard in Mattul during these 8 eight years and more than 250 girls were staying in this home. Gradually the number of girls increased and the institution was shifted to the new place.  During these years, thousands of girls stayed, educated and taken care in this Orphanage.  At present 65 children from different parts of the Kerala as well as a few children of migrant workers too. In general they are provided with all the basic needs.

 

Need and Significance of the Study

              In India, along with the growing total population of the country, the number of orphan and abandoned children is also increasing. According to the UNICEF 2012, there are more than 25 million orphan or abandoned and about 44 million destitute children in India.  A report available on the website of Save the Children organization reveals that 37% of the orphans lost one or both parents due to the conflicts while 55% were orphaned due to the natural death of parents and remaining 8% due to other reasons.

                Every Teacher is considered to be an agent of change. Hence I decided to make effort to study on the life situation of children staying in Orphanages. On my enquiry, I perceived that an inmate of Ursuline Girls’ home- a girl of Std X has committed suicide in the recent past.

Statement of the Problem

A study is entitled as the emotional stress in children staying in Orphanages/ Orphanages with special reference to Ursuline Girls’ Home at Punchakkad, Kannur district.

Definition of Terms

Emotional stress: The feeling of psychological strain and uneasiness produced by situations of danger, threat, and loss of personal security or by internal conflicts, frustrations, loss of self-esteem, and grief.

Orphanage: Orphanage means a public or private nonprofit, tax-exempt entity organized for charitable or public welfare purposes. It means an organization which performs benevolent actions for the needy with no expectation of material reward.

 Ursuline Girls’ Home: An institution under the management of Ursuline Congregation for taking care of the poor girls.

Hypothesis/ Research Questions

The following were the research questions in this study

1.      Are there children undergoing emotional stress, those who are staying in Orphanages?

2.      Do the authorities of the Orphanage adopt any strategies to take care of the psychological needs of the children?

3.      What are the best practices and facilities of the institution?

 

Objectives of the Study

1.      To understand the psychological aspects of the children staying in Orphanage

2.      To identify the positive aspects and best practices following in this institution

3.      To critically analyse the facilities of the institution- Ursuline Girls Home, and the possibilities of the children staying here

 Methodology

                   The method used for this study is participatory observation. The investigator visited and stayed with the inmates of the Orphanage for Five days. It was an opportunity for the investigator to get to know the various aspects of this institution and to make informal interview with all the inmates including the staff and children. In addition to that various resources were made use for this study. Data collection directly from the students, documents, books, net resources, and media review were done. Interview with the inmates, staff and incharge sisters enhanced the study to a greater extent. The empirical information about the student’s feedback related their emotional stress has been obtained by applying specially designed questionnaire. It contains questions by which students could analyse and report their opinion about oneself. The sample report of the correspondents comprises a total of 50 students those who are staying in the Orphanage.

Analysis & Major Findings

              Children are fundamental assets and the future of a nation. The society should offer them sufficient opportunities for their proper physical, mental, social and moral growth as well as personality development and education. The families are the best place for the socialization of children; and it is the duty of the state to provide social services and social protection, as well as ensuring the integrity of the family. Parents are responsible for caring and supporting of their children and sometimes in the absence of parents, grandparents or other close relatives willingly are being taken responsibilities of their grandchildren.

             The children staying in the Ursuline Girls home are mainly from the broken families; either their parents are divorced or they are separated. Often they seem to be susceptible children, below the age of eighteen years and are facing the core problems; have a great risk to discontinue within the threats to food, accommodation, health care or proper education at home. Ursuline Girls home at Punchakkad is a housing care service of children that is planned to care for children from the time of their entrance awaiting their adulthood or liberation, and which holds itself out as a satisfactory or better alternative for the families of the children. The function of this institution is providing a home where girls are brought up to serve as alternative actors in welfare, development and to save the failed role of the parents in child protection. Even though, they are provided with all the basic needs, sometimes they are seem to be suffering psychologically and are experiencing the emotional stress.

           The variation of the emotional stress experienced by girls staying in Orphanage is analysed here according to the obtained responses to the five questions given in the questionnaire.

        The responses of the students given to the question,  ‘In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that    happened unexpectedly?’, are shown in the diagram.

                 The analysis of the information in the diagram shows that the biggest percentage of the girls experienced upset because of something that    happened unexpectedly in the last one month. This result is indeed points out that they feel stress within them.

          The responses of the students given to the question, In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?’, are shown in the diagram.

             The analysis of the information in the diagram shows that the biggest number of the girls experienced nervous and stress during the last one month. This result is indeed points out that they feel emotional stress within them.

        The responses of the students given to the question, In the Last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?’, are shown in the diagram.

                 The analysis of the information in the diagram shows that the biggest percentage of the girls could not cope with all things of their lives during the last one month. This result is indeed points out that they feel emotional stress within them.

              The responses of the students given to the question, In the Last month, how often have you been angered because of things that  happened   that were outside of your control?’, are shown in the diagram.

             The analysis of the information in the diagram shows that the biggest percentage of the girls felt angry because of things that   happened that was outside of their control during the last one month. This result is indeed points out that they feel emotional stress within them.

             The responses of the students given to the question, In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?’, are shown in the diagram.

             The analysis of the information in the diagram shows that the biggest percentage of the girls felt difficulties were piling up so high that they could not overcome them during the last one month. This result is indeed points out that they feel emotional stress within them.

               The above results show that the largest number of girls those who are staying Orphanage, experience emotional stress in their daily lives. The following diagram confirms the above result as summary of the responses.

 

                  The above results shows that 28 children are experiencing HIGH STRESS, 21 Children are experiencing the MODERATE STRESS and only one student experiences LOW STRESS, and later it was found that she is staying in the institution only for a few days and her parents are migrant labourers.

 Further the investigator had conducted an informal interview with all the inmates. The investigator identified the major problems of the children staying in the Orphanage, are as following;

      Fighting parents

      Broken family situation

      Divorced parents

      Single parent

      Socially and Economically poor status

      Poor educational performance

      Negligence from parents

      Poor self esteem

 

 

 

In order to rectify the difficulties of the problems of the children staying in charitable, the authorities of this institution adopt certain strategies to take care of the psychological needs of the children:

ü  Additional support and attention from staff

ü  Individual counseling by social worker 

ü  Individual counseling by psychologist 

ü  Group counseling       

ü  Additional educational support 

ü  Career Counseling

          The facilities of the institution- Ursuline Girls Home, the possibilities and the best practices of the children staying here are:

·         DISCIPLINE

            All children attend the Morning Prayer and engage in simple manual works in the morning. The surroundings of institution are seemed to be clean and neat. There is Time table for the regular life and is followed by all children. With the bell at 6 am, they rise up in the morning followed by prayer and followed by study hour then manual works such as cleaning, watering etc. At 8.30 they have the Breakfast. After that they attend the class and at 1pm Lunch. Evening there is time for the recreation and games. By 6pm all children will be there in the study hall. At 8.30pm Supper, then Night prayer and those who wish to continue the study they can do it, other go for sleep.               

·         CONTRIBUTION OF THE INSTITUTION FOR THE ALL ROUND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILDREN

         The institution is providing opportunities for the students to develop their various talents. They get the chance to show their abilities. They take part in various seminars and other competitions. Good Dormitory, Box room, Library and Toilet facility are there. The food is rather nutritious and good. Moral development of the children is one of the major focuses of this institution.

 

 ·         CONTRIBUTION OF THE INVESTIGATOR TO URSULINE GIRLS HOME

The investigator stayed with the  inmates of the Ursuline Girls Home, Punchakkad for five days and made an in-depth study on the functioning of this institution. She made use of the days:

Ø  Informal interview with all the girls and the staff personally

Ø  Organised games for the children

Ø  Conducted Recreational cultural programme

Ø  Arranged Yoga Session

Ø  Inspired them through motivational videos

 Suggestions

ü  It is good to improve library facilities and fix time to develop reading habits

ü  Good to organize some psychological session to develop self esteem

ü  Arrange some special set up to improve the educational performance

ü  Need to improve toilet facilities

ü  Good to take care of the slow learners in an effective manner

ü  Need to keep a special concern on the emotional development of the children by organizing counseling, seminar and motivational classes.

Scope of the Study

The study was conducted among the Girls staying at Ursuline Girls Home, Punchakkad, in Kannur district of Kerala. Obviously, this study should be replicated to Charitable Institutions like orphanages, Girls Home and Boy’s Home to determine whether the results hold true in these different contexts.

 Limitations

      The sample size taken was less which significantly limits and is limited to the students of only one institution and only it was done only among girls. True to say that, it was also unable to study all the possible variables that impact the psychological aspects of the children staying in orphanages. Future research could expand upon it.

Conclusion

    On the bases of the results it is concluded that most of the children staying in orphanages are experiencing Emotional Stress even though these institutions are proper places of living for the orphans that provides them all necessities of life and convert them into a good person. These institutional Homes provide quality education for the children staying there as well as an appropriate environment like home for all children and managing the facilities of recreational activities also. It also provides health care facilities to the children because the significance of healthiness within the individual life span cannot be diminished. Their aim is to build the capacity of children and makes them useful citizens for the development of society; it paved the way for a good career of children. In fact, all basic facilities are provided there for the wellbeing of children;. With the growing tendency of family problem and divorced parents, the number of orphans is increasing day by day. Charitable Institutions like orphanages, Girls Home and Boys Home should more focus on the education and personality development strategies. If a person has selfawareness, he/she can easily tackle the problems with better decisions and without any hesitation, he/she can choose a way to achieve a bright future. This type of people can motivate others with their successful personalities and can perform their duties in a better way than others.

 

 

References

·         Abro, A. A. (2012). The Problems of Street Children: A Sociological Study of Urban Sindh. Ph.D thesis, University of Karachi, Karachi. [Online] available: http://eprints.hec.gov.pk/9360/1/6696H.html.

·         Ministry of Women and Child Development. Integrated Child Protection Scheme. GOI. [Last updated on 2017 Feb 06; Last accessed on 2021 August 13]. Available from: http://www.wcd.nic.in/schemes/integrated-child-protection-scheme-icps .

·         Naqshb MM, Sehgal R, Hassan F. Orphans in orphanages of Kashmir and their psychological problems. Int NGO J. 2012;7:55–63. [Google Scholar]

·         Childlineindia.org. Childline India Foundation. [Last updated on 2017 Mar 01]. Available from: http://www.childlineindia.org.in/children-without-parental-care-india.htm .

·         Elebiary H, Behilak S, Kabbash I. Study of behavioral and emotional problems among Charitableized children, Egypt. Med J Cairo Univ. 2010;78:293–9. [Google Scholar]

·         Primary data Collection: Interview, Questionnaire

·         Document references of Ursuline Girls Home, Punchkkad

 

APPENDICES

            Questionnaire- Perceived Stress Scale

Sample Questionnaires

 

                                                                      Name:

 

For each question choose from the following alternatives:

 

0 - never          1 - almost never              2 - sometimes                 3 - fairly often             4 - very often

 

l.  In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that   happened unexpectedly?  -------------

2.  In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?-------------

3.  In the Last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do? --------------

4. In the last month, how often have you been angered because of things that happened   that were outside of your control?---------------------

5. In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?--------------------

 

 

Now add up your scores for each item to get a total. My total score is -------------