Abstract

Research within Child Care Institutions (CCIs) poses unique methodological and ethical challenges due to the vulnerability of institutionalized children and the restrictive bureaucratic structures governing access. This paper presents a comprehensive methodological account of a doctoral study examining educational rehabilitation practices in NGO-run CCIs in Uttar Pradesh. Initially conceptualized as a Sequential Transformative Multiphase Mixed Methods design involving juveniles, staff, and multiple state-run institutions, the study underwent a significant redesign after the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) restricted access, prohibited interviews with children, and permitted data collection only in NGO-run homes. Consequently, the study evolved into an Exploratory–Descriptive Multiple Case Study involving four CCIs: two boys’ homes, one girls’ home, and one special needs home. Data were generated through staff interviews, structured and unstructured observations, field notes, institutional artefacts, and an extensive reflexive journal. A multi-level qualitative analytical strategy—Thematic Analysis, Framework Matrix, Cross-Case Synthesis, and Interpretive Pattern Matching enabled systematic interpretation. This methodological paper illustrates how field realities, ethical mandates, and institutional gatekeeping reshape research design, and it offers a reflexive blueprint for conducting rigorous, ethical inquiry in restricted institutional environments.