Department of Child Development, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
A need assessment survey of child care facilities was carried out for Punjab Agricultural University employees at Ludhiana. The sample comprised of 150 couples from about 70% departments of the University. Relevant information was collected through personal interviews as per self structured interview schedule. Percentages were worked out for results. Majority of respondents (94.67%) were residing outside campus. Majority of respondents’ children (82.17%) were below 13 years of age and required either ‘long day care’ or ‘after school care’. The most common (27.33%) existing child care arrangement was “Care by grand parents”. Little more than half (55.5%) of respondents were dissatisfied with the existing care arrangements. The most frequently mentioned of the various reasons of dissatisfaction was “Lack of quality care in the existing arrangements”. Nearly 82% of the respondents were interested in availing the child care facility if developed at PAU and expected it to serve on all working days of the week (Monday through Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.). “Provision of nurturing/quality environment” was the foremost among various expectations from the proposed child care centre.
After school care, child care centre, day care, existing care arrangements, quality care
