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Latest news and updates

Salam Balak Trust in Delhi will be supporting the study

17^th of February 2025

In February 2025, Dr Tushar Sign visited “Salam Balak Trust” a shelter that serve rescued child labourers in Delhi to discuss the CREATE study. The shelter will be supporting the study.

The Salam Balak Trust has also been involved in the development of the short film “Anuja” nominated for an Oscar available to watch on Netflix. The move tells a story of a 9-year-old girl and her sister working in a garment factory that mirrors experiences of many girls worldwide.

We look forward to working with the Salam Balak Trust soon.

Workshops with creative practitioners carried out successfully in Nepal

6^th- 8^th of December 2025

In December 2025, all creative practitioners from India, Bangladesh and Nepal and two UK-based arts therapists have met in Nepal to share and practice elements involved in the arts-based programme that will be delivered in the CREATE study. The workshops were led by Dr Catherine Carr and Dr Jane Bourne.

Workshops with creative practitioners and consultations with stakeholders completed

In September-October 2024, three online workshops with creative practitioners from Indian, Bangladesh and Nepal were carried out. During these workshops, the team co-developed and refined the model and an underpinning theory of an arts-based programme that will be delivered in the CREATE study.

Consultations with Lived Experience Panel and shelter staff members were also successfully completed that provided useful suggestions for improving the delivery and the content of the arts-based programme.

Workshops with UK arts therapists carried out in London

16^th of August 2024

In August 2024, three in person workshops were carried out with UK arts therapists lead by Dr Catherine Carr. During these workshops, a model and potential adaptations for an arts-based programme were discussed.

The Arts for Blues - creative arts-based group programme developed by Professor Vicky Karkou and other researchers at the universities of Edge Hill and Salford in the North West of England was selected to be co-adapted in this study. The team discussed the needs of child labourers and interventions developed for this population reported in the literature, a theoretical model, potential aims and outcomes of the programme, and potential adaptations needed to reflect cultural characteristics and the target population.

Further collaborations with creative practitioners from Indian, Bangladesh and Nepal, local people with lived experience of child labour and shelter staff will be carried out to refine the programme that will be delivered in this study.

Information about the Arts for Blues programme: https://artsfortheblues.com/