Online PhD defence Eunice Lobo

Keywords: Child development, India, Caregivers, Low-income settings

"Early years matter: Contextual factors shaping caregiving and child development in urban poor neighbourhoods of Bangalore, India"

This thesis explores how young children grow and learn in low-income neighbourhoods of Bangalore, India and how everyday caregiving is shaped by the challenges caregivers and families face. Through child assessments and interviews with mothers, grandmothers, and fathers, the research examined how caregivers support children’s play, learning, and emotional needs, and what limits their ability to do so.

The findings show that caregiving is strongly influenced by economic hardships, unsafe living conditions, long working hours, and limited social support. Many caregivers are motivated and attentive but are constrained by stress, time pressures, and a lack of safe spaces.

The thesis argues that improving children’s development in such settings requires more than parenting advice alone. It calls for community-based support for caregivers, safer neighbourhood environments, and early childhood services that reflect the realities of urban poor families. These changes can help young children in disadvantaged urban areas reach their full developmental potential.

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