Using participatory action research to examine child protection services: Case of inhalant misuse in India

Postcolonial states often lack the capacity to implement their own policies effectively. However, the inherent “coercive nature” of state processes and the vulnerabilities of the citizens they serve make it challenging to investigate gaps and inadequacies in policy implementation. Probing child and youth services in such contexts demands forms of inquiry that allow closer observations of the actual experience of these services by those needing them. Adopting principles of Participatory Action Research (PAR), we engaged in five case studies of attempted rescue and rehabilitation of substance (inhalants) using “children in street situations” (n = 8) by the authorities in Ahmedabad city. Concurrently, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 key stakeholders, including policy implementers, elected representatives, and NGO workers directly involved with this demographic cohort. We draw on this experience to argue for the need for a collaborative research process that potentially blurs boundaries between research and action but helps visibilize the functioning of services targeted to vulnerable populations. In addition to implications for other academic work and practice, we point to strengthening the child protection service mechanism through participatory intervention efforts.