Child Welfare Services in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study on Sarkary Shishu Sodan and SOS Children's Village, Rajshahi

Abstract

Children of today will lead the country tomorrow. A large number of government and non-government organizations are working for ensuring the rights of orphan and destitute children in our country. The purpose of this study is to compare the welfare services of the inmates between government (Sarkary Shishu Sodan, Rajsahi) and non-government (SOS Children's Village, Rajshahi). Data were collected from the 5 to 18 year old inmates in both the institutions. 98 inmates in Sarkary Shishu Sodan and 65 inmates in SOS Children's Village, Rajshahi, were interviewed in terms of socio-demographic characteristics as well as child welfare facilities. It was not necessary to apply any sampling technique in this study because the data were collected from almost total population. The univariate, bivariate and multivariate (logistic regression, path) statistical analytical procedures were applied to analyze these data. This study focused on facilities interrelated with the economy such as physical, logistical, health related, food, clothing, education, rehabilitation, etc. which were better in SOS children's Village than that of Sarkary Shishu Sodan. With increasing the age, educational progression and duration of living of the inmates at the same time increased their knowledge about HIV/ AIDS, child rights and EPI for both the institutions'; but the knowledge about HIV/AIDS, child rights and EPI of the inmates of SOS Children's Village was at higher percentage than that of the inmates in Sarkary Shishu Sodan, Rajshahi. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the inmates in SOS Children's Village gathered higher knowledge about HIV/ AIDS than those in Sarkary Shishu Sodan with respect to increased living period and better awareness facilities ( e.g; awareness program of HIV/ AIDS in the institution, printing and electronic media facilities etc. available in SOS Children's Village) of HIV/ AIDS in the institution. The BMI was strictly related to the age and food value of the inmates for both the institutions, while food value showed better effect on BMI through age for the inmates in SOS children's village due to better fooding than in Sarkary Shishu Sodan, Rajshahi. So Government should give more attention to proper manipulation of logistical, physical facilities, offer more facilities to take different types of awareness program and improvement of food for proper growth and development as well as for getting rid of malnutrition problems among the inmates. In want of proper rehabilitation program Sarkary Shishu Sodan, Rajshahi has to return the inmates at the age of 18 years; but it is alarming as to what is going to happen to the parentless destitute children in their future life. Hence, Govt. should carry out the all development programs successfully and the oversight mechanism should be strengthened.