Informal foster care practice in Anambra State, Nigeria and safety concerns

TY - JOUR

T1 - Informal foster care practice in Anambra State, Nigeria and safety concerns

AU - Nnama-Okechukwu, Chinwe

AU - Agwu, Prince

AU - Okoye, Uzoma

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2020/5

Y1 - 2020/5

N2 - Childcare is a concern for governments across the world, and could be unique in diverse cultural climes. An aspect of childcare is foster care, which is largely informal in Nigeria and portends opportunities for child abuse. Our study offers ideas that would guarantee the safety of children within the informal foster care net, since the Nigerian government is yet to commit to the project of formalizing foster care. We investigated informal foster care practice in two local government areas of Anambra State, Nigeria using Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Data were sourced from 32 persons comprising social welfare officers, parents and relatives of children in foster care, the fostered children and their foster parents or guardians. We analysed data thematically. Our findings disclosed that while the informal foster care practice can account for some developmental interests, it also created opportunities for abuse. To enhance the safety of children in informal foster care, the roles of the social welfare agencies housed in the headquarters of every local government area in Nigeria were found to be of significant importance. We concluded by recommending that interventions must be culturally sensitive so as to appeal to the people.

AB - Childcare is a concern for governments across the world, and could be unique in diverse cultural climes. An aspect of childcare is foster care, which is largely informal in Nigeria and portends opportunities for child abuse. Our study offers ideas that would guarantee the safety of children within the informal foster care net, since the Nigerian government is yet to commit to the project of formalizing foster care. We investigated informal foster care practice in two local government areas of Anambra State, Nigeria using Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Data were sourced from 32 persons comprising social welfare officers, parents and relatives of children in foster care, the fostered children and their foster parents or guardians. We analysed data thematically. Our findings disclosed that while the informal foster care practice can account for some developmental interests, it also created opportunities for abuse. To enhance the safety of children in informal foster care, the roles of the social welfare agencies housed in the headquarters of every local government area in Nigeria were found to be of significant importance. We concluded by recommending that interventions must be culturally sensitive so as to appeal to the people.

KW - Child rights

KW - Child welfare

KW - Children

KW - Foster care

KW - Social welfare

KW - Social work

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85080062974

U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104889

DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104889

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85080062974

SN - 0190-7409

VL - 112

JO - Children and Youth Services Review

JF - Children and Youth Services Review

M1 - 104889

ER -