Beyond Childhood International - BCI

01/03/2026

01/03/2026

With the invitation of the wisadamy project of Leo Club of the University of Colombo, Towards Responsive conducted a programme on Breaking Barriers in Child Reintegration for children leaving Child Development Centers.

The session was conducted by Nadee Gunaratne, Director of Towards Responsive and Beyond Childhood International. The programme was designed in accordance with the research conducted by Lawyers for Human Rights and Development, titled the *Longitudinal Research Action on Children Deprived of Liberty funded by UNICEF under the JURE a program .

The methodology included observation and participatory approaches that focused on the challenges children may face after leaving care homes. These challenges include the risk of dropping out of education, engaging in casual labour, exposure to trafficking, and vulnerability to harmful environments. The programme emphasized the importance of continuing education, building life skills, and avoiding situations that could lead to exploitation. It also highlighted how positive attitudes, including the simple act of maintaining a hopeful and confident outlook, can support personal development and reduce negative influences.

University students from the Leo Club actively participated in the activities. Their involvement helped sensitize them to issues of gender, equity, and social inclusion, which are especially important for young lawyers in their future legal practice. The interactive nature of the session allowed university students to share knowledge in a supportive and encouraging manner.

Feedback from the children of the Child Development Center was very valuable. They expressed that, rather than a traditional lecture-style training, the involvement of university youth made the session more engaging and inspiring. The exchange of hope-driven legal knowledge created a more meaningful learning environment.

There is a strong need for focused training methodologies for extremely vulnerable children. Programmes should aim to sensitize justice sector stakeholders on gender equity and social inclusion. Reintegration and career development materials must address the real challenges faced by children leaving care, enabling them to solve their own problems and build sustainable futures, rather than following models designed only for middle-class students.

Nadee Gunaratne
Co-Researcher – Training Needs Assessment (UNICEF funded), implemented by Towards Responsive- 2023
Lead Researcher / Rule of Law Specialist – Children Deprived of Liberty (UNICEF funded), implemented by Lawyers for Human Rights and Development -2022- 2024

19/02/2026

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01/02/2026

11/01/2026

Legal Aid as a foundation for Recovery After the Ditwa Climate Crisis: Why Women and Children Must Not Be Left Behind

The Ditwa climate crisis has changed lives in ways that extend far beyond the moment of disaster. While damaged homes and destroyed land are the most visible losses, the deeper impact is often legal, social, and psychological—especially for women and children. For many families, recovery is slowed not by a lack of strength, but by the absence of legal support to navigate compensation systems, land rights, relocation processes, and access to basic services.

Women frequently face the heaviest burden. Many lose cultivation land, housing, or legal documents, while also becoming the primary caregivers for children or sick family members. In several cases, women-headed households struggle to restart livelihoods while coping with trauma and uncertainty.

One affected woman who lost her cultivation land and received a notice to vacate her home described how her husband’s medical treatment was disrupted by the disaster. With tears in her eyes, she explained how she now carries the responsibility of survival alone, without stable income or land to cultivate. She was advised to meet the relevant authorities to address her land and livelihood issues, but her immediate need was not only legal direction—it was emotional support, dignity, and reassurance. This shows that legal aid is not only technical assistance; it is closely linked with counselling, confidence-building, and social reintegration.

Children and young people carry invisible wounds as well. A young survivor who lost his entire family shared that constant calls and messages from well-meaning people, asking him to “be strong” or reminding him of his lost loved ones, feel like a heavy burden—even when he is asleep. He emphasized that only trained professionals should provide counselling and emotional support, as untrained interventions can unintentionally increase stress. For survivors like him, legal aid, documentation, safe housing, and professional psychosocial support must work together. Legal aid alone is not enough, but without it, long-term stability becomes impossible.

For this reason, legal aid for relocation and reintegration should not be treated as a separate service. It must be integrated into the government’s recovery response and implemented on a case-by-case basis. Each affected household faces different challenges—lost land titles, inheritance disputes, eviction notices, compensation delays, or missing identity documents. Reintegration plans should therefore be prepared family by family, ensuring safe housing, access to education and health services, restoration of livelihoods, and protection from exploitation.

True recovery after the Ditwa crisis is not only about rebuilding houses or infrastructure. It is about restoring dignity, protecting rights, and giving women and children the confidence to rebuild their lives. When legal aid is combined with counselling from trained professionals, social services, and government coordination, it becomes a powerful tool—not just for survival, but for justice and long-term resilience.

Written by Nadee Gunaratne
Attorney at Law ,
President Women International League for Peace and Freedom
Director Beyond Childhood International Director Towards Responsive

08/01/2026

Child Development Centres attached to the Western Province Department of Probation and Child Care Services hosted a reflective session with caregivers and in-charge officers, together with Beyond Childhood International and AIKO Pre School, Day Care and Activity Center, focusing on children aged 0–5 living in institutional care due to the absence of parental support.

The discussion centred on strengthening child care management for children who have no parents, whose parents are unable to care for them, or who lack emotional and nurturing support due to neglect and substance addiction.

The session acknowledged the demanding responsibility of caring for many young children at once and encouraged caregivers to approach their role with positivity, dignity, and compassion.

Drawing from experience in Japan and Australia, trainer Ms Savithri Suduge shared practical approaches to early childhood care, highlighting the importance of adapting good practices to a localised care system. She also introduced the value of exposure to model day care environments, noting how observation and shared practice can support professional caregivers in improving daily care routines.

Following this, Beyond Childhood International member Sanjeewani Disanayake Perera emphasised the importance of music as therapy for caregivers, particularly for those working under high stress in early childhood care homes. The programme was held at Prajapathie Child Development Center and facilitated by Beyond Childhood International.

02/01/2026

Early Learning for Lasting Change

Beyond Childhood International (BCI) recognizes early childhood education as a vital foundation for building life skills, motor development, and resilience, especially for children in conflict with the law. Early intervention helps reduce risks of crime, neglect, and long-term institutionalization, positioning structured learning as both a protective and rehabilitative mechanism.

Research by Lawyers for Human Rights and Development (LHRD) under the UNICEF-funded JURE program revealed a critical gap: children of single mothers and women-headed households often lack safe childcare after school, increasing vulnerability. The study recommended establishing provincial daycare facilities to protect children while supporting caregivers/ parents employment, providing a strong evidence base for strategic expansion of accessible early childhood services.

BCI has recognized the Aiko Pre School Day Care and After School Activity Center as a model childcare house. Aligned with NVQ Level 4 standards, it functions as a practice-based learning and demonstration centre, developing skilled childcare practitioners while providing structured care for children.

Through collaboration with Aiko pre school , day care and after school
Activity center Director Savithri Suduge, a professional early childhood educator based in Melbourne, Australia, BCI introduced a Music and Development Program for Children implemented by Sanjeewani Disanayake Perera , Creative Arts and Music Therapy Practitioner and member of the Beyond Childhood International team.

20/12/2025

An Initial Knowledge-Sharing Session by Dr. Pubuditha Agalakumbura on Community Health and Water

An initial presentation was conducted by Dr. Pubu Abeyasinghe, neuroscientist and researcher at Monash University, Australia, for Beyond Childhood International and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) – Sri Lanka Section, as part of an ongoing dialogue on community health, water, and rights-based development.

During this session, Dr. Abeyasinghe shared scientific perspectives at the intersection of neuroscience, public health, and access to safe drinking water, emphasizing the importance of community participation, education, and prevention. The discussion highlighted that water is not solely a technical or medical issue, but a shared community concern that directly influences long-term health and wellbeing.

The presentation explored the role of medically tested drinking water, preventive and science-informed approaches to reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases, and the value of integrating scientific knowledge into community-level awareness and development initiatives.

The session contributed to strengthening understanding of how scientific expertise can inform community development efforts, particularly in contexts where access to safe water and health information remains limited.

19/12/2025

Children are among the most vulnerable after disasters, often losing protection, access to education, and their voice in critical decisions. Findings from alongitudinal action-based research study conducted by Lawyers for Human Rights and Development ( LHRD) with support from UNICEF under the JURE Programme show that legal aid is essential to reduce re-victimization, prevent unnecessary institutionalisation, and uphold the rights of the child. Legal aid must work hand in hand with psychosocial and social work responses in post-disaster recovery.
📖 Read our research and reflections on why child-sensitive legal aid matters.

The Importance of Legal Aid in Disaster Recovery and Durable Solutions

Legal aid becomes critically important in disaster contexts such as after the DITWA Cyclone because disasters do not only destroy homes and livelihoods, but also disrupt legal identity, rights, and access to essential services. After the immediate relief phase, disaster-affected communities often face difficulties in replacing lost or damaged civil documentation, including national identity cards, birth and marriage certificates, and other records required to access relief entitlements, compensation schemes, education, health services, and livelihood assistance. Without legal support to restore documentation and legal identity, many affected individuals remain excluded from recovery processes, increasing the risk of prolonged vulnerability and displacement.

Legal aid interventions also extend to housing and shelter-related matters that emerge during post-disaster recovery. As families attempt to return, relocate, or rebuild their lives, they encounter legal and administrative challenges related to temporary shelter allocation, occupancy status, tenancy arrangements, and access to reconstruction assistance. Legal counselling supports individuals and families to navigate these processes lawfully and transparently, enabling safer and more stable living conditions that are essential for long-term recovery and social reintegration.

Access to livelihood assistance is closely linked to legal status and documentation. Disaster-affected persons often require legal support to prove residence, register livelihood activities, access grants or loans, and overcome administrative barriers that prevent participation in income-generating programmes. In this context, legal aid strengthens the sustainability of livelihood interventions by ensuring lawful access to services and reducing the risk of exploitation or exclusion during recovery.

Legal aid further plays a vital role in preventing discrimination and exclusion in post-disaster responses. Women-headed households, children without adequate parental care, older persons, persons with disabilities, and other socially marginalized groups are often unintentionally excluded from assistance due to procedural, legal, or documentation barriers. Through rights-based legal counselling, legal aid helps promote equitable access to humanitarian and recovery programmes and strengthens accountability in aid delivery.

The importance of legal aid becomes even more pronounced for children affected by disasters, particularly those who have lost one or both parents or whose caregivers are unable to provide adequate protection due to trauma, displacement, or loss of livelihoods. Longitudinal action-based research conducted by Lawyers for Human Rights and Development under the funding of UNICEF through the JURE Programme highlights that legal aid for vulnerable children is extremely important, as children often lack a voice in decision-making processes and face heightened risks of re-victimization. The research demonstrates that legal support is essential to uphold the rights of the child, ensure access to education and protection services, and prevent unnecessary institutionalization.

In post-disaster contexts, legal aid must actively support and strengthen the processes of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, working in close coordination with social workers and psychosocial service providers. When legal aid is aligned with child protection systems and psychological support, it enables child-sensitive, best-interest-based decision-making and supports family- and community-based care solutions rather than institutional responses.

Overall, legal aid functions as a critical bridge between humanitarian relief and long-term recovery, addressing documentation, housing and shelter, livelihoods, non-discrimination, and child protection within a coherent and integrated framework. By providing legal certainty, access to justice, and protection for the most vulnerable, legal aid contributes directly to durable solutions and socially sustainable disaster recovery.

Written by
Nadee Gunaratne
Attorney at Law
Research Lead – Longitudinal Action-Based Research on Children Deprived of Liberty, 2022- 2024
President – Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Director – Beyond Childhood International

17/12/2025

Beyond Childhood focuses on children at risk of crime, with a five-year vision to foster dialogue, generate evidence, and pilot action-oriented innovations.”

Longitudinal Action-Based Research on Children Deprived of Liberty

Implemented by Lawyers for Human Rights and Development (LHRD) with the support of UNICEF under the JURE Programme

This case study documents the reintegration trajectories of two adolescent boys aged 14 and 15 who were institutionalized due to involvement in petty crime and substance use. The longitudinal, action-based research followed their institutional care, education and skills development, psychosocial support, and transition toward reintegration and employability over a three-year period.

# # # Background and Institutional Placement

The first child, aged 15, was an orphan who became involved in petty crimes, including theft, and was institutionalized due to repeated community-level risks and the absence of parental care. The second child, aged 14, was institutionalized due to drug use and associated child protection concerns and was later reintegrated into family-based care under the supervision of his grandmother.

Psychological, family, behavioral, and community assessments conducted by the LHRD project team identified differentiated reintegration pathways. For the orphaned child involved in crime, extended institutional care combined with structured skills training was assessed as necessary prior to community reintegration. For the child with a history of substance use, family-based reintegration was considered appropriate, provided that sustained supervision and continuous psychosocial follow-up were maintained.

Education, Skills Development, and Transition Outcomes

The orphaned child involved in petty crime was placed in a vocational training center specializing in motor mechanism and technical skills. Within the structured training environment, he demonstrated discipline, consistent attendance, and strong practical competence. He successfully obtained a recognized vocational qualification and gained positive standing within the institution. Following the completion of training, he entered employment in the relevant sector.

The child with a history of drug use experienced repeated difficulties in sustaining formal education. Despite these challenges, continuous psychosocial engagement enabled him to sit for the Ordinary Level examination. After reintegration with his grandmother, he remained uncertain about continuing education or securing employment, reflecting ongoing emotional vulnerability and limited confidence in managing adult responsibilities.

Psychological Status and Employment-Related Vulnerabilities

Longitudinal psychological assessments revealed that technical qualification or examination completion did not equate to psychological readiness for employment. Both children experienced difficulty coping with work pressure, authority structures, and unfamiliar social environments. Limited trust in adults and peers reduced their capacity to seek support or express concerns, increasing the risk of misunderstanding, conflict, and secondary victimization within workplaces.

In the case of the child who entered employment, the absence of care, affirmation, and emotional safety within the work environment led to feelings of rejection and distress. This resulted in premature withdrawal from employment. These patterns demonstrate how unresolved trauma, limited emotional regulation, and lack of workplace socialization can undermine otherwise positive skills-based reintegration outcomes.

Research Findings – Gaps Between Training and Employment

The research identified a critical gap between vocational training completion and sustainable employment for children at risk of crime and substance use. Direct transition from training to employment without structured preparation resulted in an inability to manage work-related stress and performance expectations, difficulty understanding workplace ethics, hierarchy, and communication norms, fear and mistrust when conflicts or pressure emerged, and increased vulnerability to exploitation due to limited self-advocacy skills.

For Child A, repeated discontinuation of studies was closely linked to the absence of clear connections between education, career pathways, and real-life work situations. For Child B, expressed willingness to participate in training combined with gradual work exposure highlighted the importance of phased transitions rather than immediate entry into full employment.

Research Recommendation – Pre-Employment Transition Training Model

Based on these findings, the study recommends a one- to four-month individualized pre-employment transition programme functioning as a finishing-school model specifically designed for children at risk of crime. This phase should precede formal employment and integrate employability skills and work ethics, understanding of workplace roles, rules, and expectations, coping strategies for work pressure and conflict, trust-building and communication skills, personal safety and boundary-setting, career guidance linked to actual work environments, and trauma-informed psychological support focused on emotional regulation.

Practice Innovation and Future Action Research

In response to the evidence generated through this longitudinal study, the LHRD project team, with the support of Law and Mind, has designed a practical pre-employment transition training center. The model integrates psychological preparation, career readiness, ethical employment orientation, and gradual exposure to work environments.

The training center is envisioned as a platform for future action-based research, aimed at testing and refining structured transition pathways to reduce employment breakdown, secondary victimization, and reoffending among children at risk.

Written by
Nadee Gunaratne
Research Lead – Longitudinal Action-Based Research on Children Deprived of Liberty (2021–2024)
President – Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Director – Towards Responsive / Beyond Childhood International