Child fostering and education in Ghana

Abstract

The literature on fostering of children and their welfare, especially on education, presents ambivalent outcomes. While some children in foster care may have access to better education than what would have been possible in their biological residences, others are prevented from attending school regularly or do not attend school at all due to labour demands in their foster households.Drawing on data collected by researchers as part of a larger study of child mobility in Ghana, Malawi and South Africa, we explore the extent of child fostering in two agro-ecological zones in Ghana and how it relates to education.Methods Data in the child mobility study were collected in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, followed by a questionnaire survey. This generated data for children (between 8 and 18) – both in-school and out-of-school.Findings Our findings lean heavily towards the school of thought that maintains that child fostering is detrimental to the educational outcomes of fostered children. Even where children were fostered by relatives, the negative impact on education was evident. Fostered children were less likely to be enrolled in school, less likely to be attending regularly, and more likely to be ‘behind’ in their schooling, than those living with their biological parents. Serial fostering of children emerged as another dimension of fostering that needs further investigation in terms of its impacts on schooling.Conclusion We conclude that fostering impacts negatively on foster children’s educational experiences and outcomes.