| dc.description.abstract | The care of children through residential care institutions has been on the increase in Africa, and in particular in Kenya. As a result of a number of problems and reasons, the girl child is increasingly being taken care of in residential institutions, popularly referred as children's homes. There has been a sudden increase of the girl children in these institutions. The care of girl children has been of concern to many scholars and other stakeholders in the government as well as Non Governmental organizations. Many aspects of this issue have been addressed with the educational aspect taking the fore position. There have been campaigns to address other plights that afflict the girl child such as, the Female Circumcision, mainly referred to as Female Genital Mutilation, early marriage, forced marriage, and child abuse. All these efforts have been directed at the girl child, although it seems this has been mainly the girl in the general society. The girl child in the institution seems to have been ignored, or at times she seems to have been classified with the girl in the general society. This ignores the fact that the girl in the institution has some unique requirements that cannot be assumed to be addressed when those of the girl in the family are addressed. It was because of the concern of the girl in residential institution, that the following study was undertaken. Residential institutional care seems to be seen as the appropriate alternative of the girl child in need of care and protection, yet the effects it has on them has not been addressed. It is also for this reason that the study was undertaken.
In undertaking the study, the main objective was to assess the effects of institutional care on the girl child especially as it appertains to her religious upbringing. In order to achieve this specific objectives addressed were;
(a) An assessment of the impact of institutional care on the educational advancement of the girl child.
(b) An assessment of the effect of institutional care on the moral preparation of the girl child.
(c) An assessment of the effect of institutional care on the provision of role models for the girl child.
(d) An assessment of the effects of institutional care on the identity of the girl child.
To achieve the above objectives, the study mainly employed a qualitative method of data gathering and analysis. The questionnaire was the main research instrument. This was supplemented by records from the institutions, non-governmental organizations visited and the department of children in the ministry of social services.
The study found out that, although residential institutional care may appear to be the best alternative, it has a number of effects on the growth and development of the girl child. It was found out that despite getting good education through being taken to good schools,
the girls lacked other important aspects that would make their education and life in the
institution a success. The lack of good role models was also found to have affected the girls' self-identity.
The study carne to a conclusion that despite being seen as the best alternative, residential institutional care had a number of negative effects on the girl child. Several recommendations were suggested in order to improve institutional care, which is increasingly becoming a necessary structure of the society. | en |
