Exploring Factors Associated with Educational Outcomes for Orphan and Abandoned Children in India

Abstract

India has more than 25 million orphan and abandoned children (OAC) (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2012). The burden of care for these OAC is on caregivers that are often ill equipped to meet their needs due to inadequate assets. Previous studies suggest that in communities with limited resources, OAC residing with non-biological caregivers are more at risk than those fostered by a biological parent. This study explores the association of caregiver and child characteristics with OAC educational outcome in India. The analysis was conducted using hierarchical logistic regression. The findings have implications for practice and policy in the global child welfare field.