EFFECTS OF INFORMAL ALTERNATIVE FAMILY CARE ON CHILDREN WELLBEING IN MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Informal alternative family care is found every society in the world taking various forms of dimensions. In Kenya, it is more prevalent when families fail to embrace alternative family care for adoption, guardianship and foster care. Kenya conforms to legal frameworks allowing utilization of both human and financial resources safeguarding children wellbeing. Despite legislative arrangements, documentation on alternative family care at the Department of Children Services reveals very low intake of adoption, foster care and guardianship in Migori County. The study sought to examine the effects of informal alternative family care on children wellbeing in Migori County. Specifically, the study determined knowledge of alternative family care, examined the nature of informal alternative family care arrangements, established determinants of informal alternative family care and examined challenges of this care arrangement in Migori County. The study was guided by the social theory of action systems by Talcott Parsons and theory of structuration by Antony Giddens premised on the fact that actions of individuals regulate social order. The study was conducted in Migori County, one of the 47 counties in Kenya. The study adopted descriptive and cross sectional survey design. The target population was households from the entire County and household was the unit of analysis with household heads constituting respondents in the survey. The county has a population of 917,170 people and 180,211 households. A sample of 399 respondents was selected using Glenn Israel’s formula from the entire number of households in the County. Further, 14 respondents were selected for focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Cluster, multistage, purposive and simple random sampling methods were used and both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from household survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and observation using questionnaires, interview guides, guiding questions and observation checklist. Cronbach’s coefficient alpha and content validity index were used to test instruments validity and reliability respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using inferential and descriptive statistics such as mean, chi-square and Karl Parson correlations statistics with the help of SPSS version 23. Content and framework techniques were used for analysis of qualitative data and emerging themes were identified and concepts generated. Research study revealed that, majority 56.2% of care givers was aware of the formal alternative care arrangements. Care givers were more acquainted with institutional care 37%, more than, guardianship 28%, adoption 19% and foster 15% arrangements. There was mixed reaction on these arrangements with the majority 58%, considering them best for child care while 11% noted they were complicated, 8% not practicable and 4% not important for taking care of children. Kinship support to child headed household was the most practiced 36.4% and 2.5% practiced familial informal care arrangement. Further, the study revealed determinants for informal alternative family care where 87% of care givers noted the influences of alternative family care arrangements on improving child wellbeing. Finally the study revealed that both care givers and children face challenges in alternative family care for children. The study contributes to the academic body of knowledge and provides the basis for policy formulation. The study concludes that informal alternative family care arrangements contribute to children wellbeing. The study recommends to the Ministry through the Department of children services to sensitize the public on best alternative care practices, formalize all alternative family care, provide universal social security and tailor a training program for care givers on positive parenting for children in informal alternative family care.