Understanding Kinship Care of Children in Africa: A Family Environment or an Alternative Care Option?

Usang Maria Assim - Comparative African Legal Studies

The Comparative African Legal Studies series aims to profile research in the fields of children, youth, families, gender, disability, education and socio-economic rights. It focuses on contemporary issues in African development, with human rights as a backdrop. This book is part of that series.

This book explores the legal and human rights dimensions of kinship care, the preferred alternative to parental care in the African context. With increasing debates and controversies around child care forms such as foster care, and the ever-growing need for State support, it becomes critical to determine whether kinship care is indeed alternative care or not.