Social exclusion, and mistrust of state-led early childhood care and education policies: a qualitative case study in the estate sector of Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT

Providing quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) services is crucial, especially for children in most disadvantaged backgrounds. The present study thus examined how social exclusion in the estate sector (inhabited by hill country Tamil people who work as laborers in tea plantations) of Sri Lanka leads to a mistrust of policy interventions, which has negative implications for implementing ECCE policies. A qualitative case study design was employed, and data were drawn from three key informant interviews, twenty in-depth interviews, and four focus group discussions. Data were analyzed thematically. The analysis revealed that certain aspects of state-led ECCE policies are not designed to reflect and respect the needs of estate dwellers. Also, the mistrust of external organizations that are responsible for ECCE policy interventions denies estate dwellers from developing progressive relationships with them. The unique interplay between social exclusion and social capital in the estate communities is thus one of the primary reasons for the difficulty in implementing ECCE policies.

KEYWORDS:

• ECCE policies
• estate sector of Sri Lanka
• mistrust of external organizations
• social capital
• social exclusion

Acknowledgement

I extend my deepest gratitude to all who have contributed to my research by freely sharing their stories with me. Prof. Dhammika Herath and Dr. Prabath Ekanayake are also praised for always being there to help.

Availability of data and materials

The qualitative datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval and consent to participate

The Faculty-Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, granted ethical approval. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before the data collection. Consent for publication was also sought from the participants where necessary.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Samitha Udayanga

Samitha Udayanga holds a distinguished position as a senior sociologist within the Department of Sociology at the University of Ruhuna, located in Sri Lanka. His primary focus lies in the realm of child development, encompassing both research and policy analysis within the context of social welfare, with a particular emphasis on regions experiencing developmental transitions. Udayanga's scholarly pursuits are deeply rooted in unraveling intricate connections between the formulation of policies and the nuanced influences of local cultures.