Youth and Elderly different stages in its life cycle, the family has different composition and the members together try to meet each others’ needs. However, a family cannot always provide all the specialised services that are needed for the optimal growth and development of its members. For example, young children need formal education; all the members need health care. Therefore, each community creates other structures like schools, hospitals, universities, recreation centres, training centres which provide specialised services or support services which can be accessed by different members of the family to meet their needs.
Generally a family, along with other structures of the society like schools, hospitals etc., is expected to meet the needs of its members. However many families in our country are unable to meet even the basic needs of their members and/or access as well as utilise the various services provided by other structures of the society due to various reasons, one of them being lack of resources, especially financial. See the box given below for some pertinent details in this regard. Further, many children, youth and elderly are separated from their families and are left to cope on their own.
By themselves, they find it difficult to meet their own needs. Poverty in India is widespread, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. According to the Planning Commission of India, in – , . per cent of the population was living below the national poverty line.
Less than per cent of our population has access to adequate sanitation facilities. Less than half of all deliveries in a year are conducted by trained birth attendants, which is a cause of high maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Less than half the country’s households consume iodised salt. Lack of iodine adversely affects mental and physical growth of the child.
Pervasive discrimination against girls and women, which is reflected in a range of adverse indicators, including nutritional and educational outcomes, and the declining ratio of girls to boys, particularly in the youngest age group, are matters of concern. For such families, or the members who are in challenging and difficult circumstances, the state/society has to step in and make efforts to look after the needs of its members. This is because it is the responsibility of the government and society to ensure that all citizens have a decent life, and children and youth have opportunities for holistic development in a healthy and stimulating environment. One of the ways in which the government responds to the needs of those who are in difficult circumstances, is by setting up institutions and initiating programmes dedicated to the children, youth and the elderly.
It also provides support to the efforts of the private sector and/or the NGO sector. Some of these institutions and programmes may focus on meeting specific needs while some programmes adopt a holistic perspective and provide intervention and services to meet various needs of the individuals together. The latter approach stems from the philosophy that all the needs of the individual must be met together to have optimal impact.