The Department of Social Welfare under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) is campaigning for children especially those in orphanages and foster homes to be united with families for better protection and upbringing.
The ministry believes that families are everything to a child hence it organized a conference on Deinstitutionalisation under the theme: Families are forever.
The conference sought to discuss ways children would be given better protection, care and learning from the community at large.
Children are the future of the country and according to prof. Kenneth Attafuah, guest speaker for the conference, poverty is a major problem when it comes to child support and protection, hence institutions and orphanages need to improve on ways to provide better protection for children.
He added that, as stated clearly in the children’s act 1998 and the 1992 constitution children have to be given the right and safe care and therefore institutions and homes that take it upon themselves to care for these children should do it the right way.
Prof. Attafuah stressed that these institutions should be shut down if they are not fit for purpose.
He further indicated that there are about 124 residential homes for children in the country and about 61 of these homes have been licensed to take care of orphans and the less privileged ones.
Representing the chief director of (MoGCSP), Rev. Dr Comfort Asare said families are very important in our society and communities.
“In Ghana, the extended family system is considered crucial in the child protection system and needs to be strengthened.
Extended families must be actively involved in the protection, socialization and upbringing of children in society, especially at times when biological parents are not available to care for their children”, Dr Asare added.
Rev. Dr Comfort Asare urged individuals in the community to be involved in the safety and upbringing of children since there is an adage that says ” a mother gives birth to a child but a community nurtures the child”, hence the need for all to be part of child protection programs.
