-
The Psychosocial Effect Of Institutionalization Of Orphans And Vulnerable Children In Oyo State
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 1 of 3
-
-
-
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In
the Nigerian Society, the child is highly cherished, not only by parents
but also by the family, the community in general and by the state
(Okunola 2001). It is equally the cultural norm that the care and
upbringing of the child is shared by all the family and community.
However, the family has in the last few decades undergone changes in its
formation and structure and consequently in functions to such an extent
that the traditional security usually provided by the family is
disappearing.
There are children who do not have the benefits of
suitable and stable homes either because of incidence of abandonment by
mother, death of parents, single parenthood, death or long absence of
one of the parents from home due to hospitalization, imprisonment or
related factors and lost children especially in the time of disaster or
armed conflicts. These children are in vulnerable conditions.
Care for children separated from their parents have been shouldered by
the extended family before the creation of formal institutional care
facilities. These children now become burden to the family members.
Opined by Tagurum et al, 2015, one study ranks Nigeria’s orphans and
vulnerable children burden higher than several countries facing war,
such as Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, and
Syria. One in every 10 households in the country is also estimated to be
providing care for an orphan (Marsden and Miller 2011). Many have
believed that placing orphans and vulnerable children in care has solved
all of their problems but this study proves the contrary.
Orphans and vulnerable children include not only children who are
biologically orphans following parental death, but also children
considered vulnerable to shocks that jeopardize their health and
well-being, such as the chronic illness of a parent, or other household
factors. The concept vulnerability with regard to young people imply the
ones who are more exposed to risks than their peers. They can be
vulnerable in deprivation (food, education, and parental care),
exploitation, abuse, neglect, violence, and infection with HIV. The 2013
Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) found that the percentage
of orphaned children increases rapidly with age, from 4.2 percent among
children under age five to 16.1 percent among children age 15-17. Data
also indicate that urban children are slightly more likely to be
orphaned than rural children (7 and 5 percent respectively).
Psychosocial health includes four important components of well-being; a
state of mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
Institutionalization, a process of developing or transforming rules and
procedures that influence a set of human interactions (Hans Keman),
though beneficial because it removes orphans from streets and prevents
vulnerable children from abusive parents, research has shown that it can
never be compared to being raised by caring parents in a caring home.
Children who are deprived of the parental care and a secure family
environment often become vulnerable to a host of psychological problems
and psychiatric disorders (Kaur R, Vinnakota A, Panigrahi S, Manasa R V
2018). An array of research findings has established that institutional
care for children regardless of the status of the care facility has far
reaching psychosocial and emotional damages on the children (Browne
2009; Dziro and Rufurwokuda 2013). Comparing Nigeria and Zimbabwe, the
situation is quite similar because research has shown that children in
residential care are more psychologically disturbed compared to those in
community home based care unit.
A child’s early experiences
determine their future psychological, emotional, social functioning as
individuals in their adulthood life. Sabotage of psychosocial wellbeing
of children can occur due to painful and bad childhood experiences.
Psychosocial wellbeing affects children’s ability, intellectuality,
productivity and social functionality. Orphans experience sorrow,
anxiety, depression, lack of support and care. The trauma of losing
parents can have adverse psychosocial effects on children like feelings
of mistrust, inferiority, shame, guilt, insecurity and improper conduct
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Nigeria’s
Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development estimates that
there are 17.5 million orphans and vulnerable children nationwide. The
children face enormous challenges to their health and development and it
is estimated that 95 percent of orphans and vulnerable children do not
receive any form of medical, emotional, social, material or
school-related assistance (National Population Commission, Federal
Republic of Nigeria, and ICF International 2013). Institutional care has
remained in use even after researchers have found it to be undesirable
and the least option for the continuum of care. It is then the second
best alternative to children in need of care.
These orphans and
vulnerable children are usually cared for in institutional homes set up
by either the government or private agencies, which provide some
semblance of order into their lives. Efficiently caring for the
materialistic needs of the children cause individuals to ignore the
psychological needs of these children. International and national
children’s rights groups argue that institutional care compromises
children’s future as well as cheat them of their future. They also
report that child care facilities pose serious threats to the
psycho-social, emotional and in some severe cases, physical well-being
of children.
A number of problems may arise in these institutional
homes, such as; the problems of overcrowding, inadequate personal
attention, poor academic environment, frequent moves may affect the
psychosocial health of these children.
Hence, the need to highlight
the psychosocial effects of institutionalization on orphans and
vulnerable children in these selected institutional care facilities.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 1 of 3
-
-
ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The study examined the psychosocial effect of the institutionalization of orphans and vulnerable children in Oyo state. The specific objectives were to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the inmates, to determine the psychological effect of institutionalization of these children, to determine the social effect of institutionalization of these children, to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of institutionalization with reference to the selected institutions and to identify ... Continue reading---
