Impact of Home Environment and School Climate on Academic Performance of the Children of Sex Workers in Alternative Care: A Case Study

Abstract

The children of sex workers (CoSWs) stand at considerable risk of myriad challenges that affect their lives in multifarious ways. The weight of the stigmata of their descent invariably cripples their social standing depriving them of the opportunities ordinarily available to children otherwise. The home environment which plays a pivotal role in any child’s development and upbringing is at a huge stake for the CoSWs due to its uncongeniality towards the basic needs and requirements of a growing child. The hostility and apathy towards the CoSWs get more stringent as they step into the outer world. They are denied their basic rights and receiving education for them is a far-fetched dream. The school climate, which ideally and generally is curated in a fashion, to facilitate the all-round development of a child often transpires to be unfavorable towards the CoSWs. To combat the adverse situations of the CoSWs, the alternative care settings are a respite providing a home away from home fulfilling the crucial necessities of life. This paper presents a case study of the role of an alternative care setup for the CoSWs and the impact of the home environment and school climate on their academic performance.  It is a longitudinal study where children between the age group of 6 to 16 years have been studied over a period of three years. The findings of the study show that a favourable and congenial environment, be it at the home front or school is important to boost the academic performance of these underprivileged children.