Ethnographic Study of Children in Alternative Care Systems: A Case of Orphanage Homes in the Southwestern State, Nigeria

Children are to be given adequate care anywhere, at all times and under any circumstances. However, it is observed that children in many alternative care homes may not grow up adequately because their rights are being trampled upon. This implies that the rights of orphans and vulnerable children are denied of them. There has been incidence of neglect, maltreatment and marginalization of this category of children in some care homes. The continuation of which may not give room for proper development of the children. The extent to which the alternative care homes where OVC children in Nigeria are housed measure up to the needs and standards of the United Nations, as indicated by the core components for OVC care, support and protection services as defined in the current OVC National Plan of Action include: Health; Education; Social Protection; Psychosocial Support; Service Delivery Environment; Household Level Care; Economic Strengthening; and Monitoring & Evaluation worth examination. The study will adopted survey research design. The population for the study will comprise all alternative care homes in the Southwestern State of Nigeria. Thirty homes will be selected using random sampling technique. Two states will be selected using convenience sampling technique. One instrument entitled, OVC Homes Responsiveness Scale (OVCHRS) will be used. The instrument will consist of nine sections based on the OVC National Plan of Action. Data gathered will be analysed using appropriate inferential statistics. Recommendations will be proffered for the stakeholders. The study is an ongoing research which is expected to be concluded in May.

Keywords: Alterative Care system; Orphanage homes; ethnographic study