Parental Awareness and its Role in Promoting the Health and Well-Being of Anganwadi Children

Abstract Early childhood is a decisive period for establishing the foundations of physical growth, cognitive development, emotional security, social competence and readiness for learning. Anganwadi Centres in India provide an important community platform for early childhood care, nutrition, health education and preschool learning. However, the effectiveness of these services depends not only on what is provided at the centre but also on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of parents and other caregivers at home. Parental awareness therefore has a direct and indirect role in determining whether children receive nutritious food, timely health care, hygienic living conditions, responsive stimulation and emotional support. This article examines the role of parental awareness in promoting the health and well-being of Anganwadi children, with particular attention to child health, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation, psychosocial well-being and parent–Anganwadi collaboration. The article also identifies practical strategies such as parent education sessions, home-based counselling, demonstrations, peer learning, digital communication, growth-monitoring discussions and community-based convergence. Hence, parental awareness should be treated as a continuous family-strengthening process rather than as a one-time information activity. When Anganwadi workers, health personnel and parents work as partners, the Anganwadi system can contribute more effectively to children's survival, healthy development, school readiness and long-term well-being. This approach is consistent with the nurturing-care perspective, which integrates health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, safety and early learning (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020; UNICEF India, 2026).