Poverty driving more children in orphanages
An estimated 80 per cent of children in orphanages across the Brong-Ahafo Region has been found not to be orphans but there because of poverty.
Mr. Patrick Acheampong, the Deputy Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in-charge of child right programmes, complained about what he said was the ‘very terrible conditions’ under which they were living.
He added that ‘most of the children are harvested from deprived areas into the various orphanages and children homes without proper documentation’, something that gave cause to worry.
He expressed the sentiment at a day’s sensitization programme on child and family-based care organized by the Department.
It brought together over 70 participants made up social welfare officers, journalists and other groups working to protect the interest of children.
The goal was to help promote quality care for the children and their re-integration with the biological or foster parents.
Mr. Acheampong advised individuals and non-profit organizations, who wanted to establish such homes to enter into the ‘family type’ or go in for ‘community care service’ because the institutional care was proving not to be the best for children.
Mrs. Olivia Avudzega, a Deputy Director of the Department in- charge of child care and protection, urged to those ready to offer support to orphans and needy children to liaise with the department.
That, she said, was important to make sure ‘help gets to the children, who are genuinely in need’.
GNA
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