The Centre for Applied Research and Documentation (CARD) was established (1989) in response to the need for an information base on the issue of Child labour.

CARD aims to consolidate the work experience of the CWC and other grassroots organisations into transferable forms of information and to keep the issue of child labour alive, by focusing attention on the problem to find viable short and long term solutions in partnership with children.

CARD attempts to redefine commonly held notions of child labour in the words of the children themselves. It aims to bring into the world of research littered with adult conducted research on children, research conducted and monitored by children and for children.

CARD has facilitated children to research, document and use information for their active participation as partners in change and for programme intervention. Children in 8 Panchayats have conducted a comprehensive socio economic survey of their regions, using a survey form designed and administered by them.