This pilot evaluation assessed medium-term outcomes of the Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust’s Kinship Care Program by comparing families enrolled for less than three months (control group) with those involved for 2–3 years (test group). The study aimed to evaluate the program’s impact on child education and emotional wellbeing, maternal psychosocial outcomes, and the influence of social worker support.

Key findings reveal significant improvements among long-term participants of the program. Children in the test group demonstrated stronger academic performance, particularly from Grade 6 onwards, and exhibited significantly better reading fluency and comprehension skills (p = 0.004). A greater proportion (86%) were able to read and understand text compared to the control group (61%). However, no significant difference was observed in school attendance between the groups. On behavioural outcomes, mother-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores indicated that children in the test group had significantly fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties (p < 0.001). In contrast, child self-reports from older children in the test group reflected more emotional and peer-related challenges—possibly indicating increased emotional expression and self-awareness as a result of safe, sustained support.

For mothers, those in the test group reported significantly higher empowerment (p = 0.002), lower depression (p = 0.010), and improved parenting skills (p = 0.002). They also scored significantly higher on self-efficacy, decision-making, and social connectedness measures. Multivariate analysis (MANOVA) confirmed a significant overall improvement in psychosocial wellbeing among mothers with longer program exposure.

Correlational analyses highlighted that greater social worker involvement was strongly associated with increased empowerment and better parenting (ρ = +0.25 to +0.29) and inversely associated with depression (ρ = –0.24). Path analysis aligned with Empowerment Theory, confirming that social worker support directly increases empowerment (path coefficient = +0.46), which in turn reduces depression (–0.28), suggesting empowerment as a key mediating factor.

Overall, the study provides preliminary yet encouraging evidence that long-term participation in the Bala Mandir Kinship Care Program leads to significant gains in both child development and maternal wellbeing. Findings reinforce the importance of sustained, relationship-based social work interventions and highlight the program’s potential as a scalable model of Kinship Care support. Limitations include a modest sample size and reliance on self-report measures, which warrant cautious interpretation and call for longitudinal follow-up.