Displaying 1 - 10 of 11
Abstract
International studies have suggested that parental loss is a risk factor for poor physical and mental health, but all orphans do not develop the same kind and intensity of wellbeing indicators. This disparity is associated with certain biopsychosocial characteristics of the developing orphan which may interact with certain environmental factors to determine the levels of vulnerability a child may experience following parental death. While studies have been devoted to orphanhood in Ghana, no study has examined the nature of multisystemic risks within the sociocultural environment,…
Abstract
Worldwide, up to 8 million children reside in institutional care. While some characteristics are common to most institutional settings (e.g., group rearing, non-related caregivers), the social environments of institutions are highly variable. Institutions in Russia, China, Ghana, and Chile are described with reference to the circumstances that lead to children’s institutionalization, resident children’s social-emotional relationships, and unique characteristics of each country’s institutional care (e.g., volunteer tourism in Ghana, and shifting demographics of institutionalized…
Introduction
Infants are precious and vulnerable; therefore, they need a lot of love, attention and quality time with caregivers. Parents have known this instinctively for centuries and research continues to confirm that “a human infant cannot survive without someone providing food, protection and affection. Because of this, human babies are born with a very strong instinct and need to bond with a caregiver”. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the first five years of a child’s life are the most important for brain development especially within the first three years when the brain…
Abstract
Each year, some young people leave children's homes or orphanages in Ghana to start life on their own. However, little is known about their challenges and the factors that influence their coping mechanisms. Data were collected through interviews with 23 care leavers and analysed using the framework analysis. The findings show that the care leavers were experiencing challenges with employment, housing, and social integration. Risk factors included having inadequate social and cultural skills and leaving care without employment. The protective factors that influenced the…
This chapter appears in Child Maltreatment in Residential Care: History, Research, and Current Practice, a volume of research examining the institutionalization of children, child abuse and neglect in residential care, and interventions preventing and responding to violence against children living in out-of-home care settings around the world.
Abstract
In Sub-…
This report is an adaptation of the global State of the World’s Fathers report, which was produced by Mencare, a global campaign to promote men and boys’ involvement as equitable, non-violent caregivers. The report highlights the research and findings from the State of the World’s Fathers report that are specific to Africa. This Africa-focused report was produced by Sonke Gender Justice. The report examines and uncovers the knowledge on men’s participation in unpaid care work, sexual and reproductive health and rights, maternal and child health, violence against women and children, and child…
This publication, produced by the Parenting in Africa Network (PAN), highlights the skillful parenting practices of several pastoral communities in Africa, including the Gabra and the Maasai people in Kenya, the Bozo community in Mali, the Ndebele of South Africa, and the Swahili community of the coastal strip of Africa. The aspects of parenting highlighted are: pre-birth mother care, post birth mother and child care, instilling skills in responsibility and respect, child-parent interaction, the role of fathers, sexuality and puberty, preparation for marriage, care of vulnerable children, and…
The family has no substitute as the premier institution for socialization, personal growth and development. It must therefore be provided with the support it deserves to fulfill this important function. Families must be equipped with good child rearing practices and principles and should be made aware of existing child rights that are beneficial to the development of children. However, most of the available literature on parenting in Africa lacks contextual relevance to most African parents. This publication documents real life stories of selected African parents, shedding…
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Children constitute the future leadership and workforce of each nation and therefore require serious commitment from the adult population, particularly state institutions to ensure their proper growth and development into adulthood. This is given credence and is manifested in the various Constitutional provisions and Parliamentary Acts and Legislative Instruments by the Government and people of Ghana.
Their future lies in the provision of measures and actions that will provide appropriate levels of protection, survival and development policy aimed at achieving the…
The new Building Block Africa-wide briefing note on ‘Young children and HIV’ provides practical guidance on meeting the developmental needs of young children affected by HIV and the care and treatment needs of young children living with HIV. Focusing on children under eight years of age, it aims to help local organisations and service providers to strengthen family and community support for these children.
‘Young children and HIV’ is structured in two sections:
The first section describes the impact of HIV on the intellectual, emotional, psychological and social development of all young…