Beyond Basic Survival: Institutional Exclusion and Socio-Emotional Well-Being among Children Living in Informal Settlements in Lahore

Abstract

Rapid and unplanned urbanization in South Asia has proliferated informal settlements, exposing millions of children to severe structural deprivations. While physical survival is heavily researched, systemic institutional exclusion, the denial of basic rights, documentation, and welfare remains underexplored regarding its toll on child mental health and socio-emotional development. This study investigates the structural and institutional mechanisms of exclusion affecting the socio-emotional well-being of children aged 10–17 living in informal settlements (slums) across Lahore, Pakistan. Adopting an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study bridges a critical gap in urban sociology and social work literature by combining quantitative regression analyses () with qualitative thematic insights () regarding systemic barriers to education, healthcare, identity documentation, and social protection. The quantitative phase utilizes a structured questionnaire to measure variables including access to education, healthcare, identity documentation, social public services, experiences of discrimination, and socio-emotional well-being indicators such as emotional difficulties, self-esteem, loneliness, and social connectedness. SPSS is used for descriptive, correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The qualitative phase involves semi-structured interviews analyzed through thematic analysis to capture children's lived experiences, emotional hurdles, and coping strategies. Integrating Sen’s Capability Approach with Structural Exclusion Theory, the findings demonstrate how institutional gatekeeping and a lack of legal identity function as master statuses of marginalization that significantly diminish psychological well-being and social integration. The study offers vital empirical insights for municipal authorities, social protection agencies, and non-governmental child-welfare frameworks in Pakistan, contributing actionable pathways for inclusive urban policy and social work practice.