| dc.description.abstract | Child Abuse and neglect have existed all over the world and for many centuries. For many
years in Kenya, the state of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) has been a matter of
great national concern. This study sought to investigate the influence of charitable children’s
institutions to the welfare of OVC in Meru Municipality-Kenya. The study targeted six
Charitable Children Institutions (CCIs) working in Meru Municipality. The objectives
included, To establish the extent to which child care in charitable children’s institutions
influence the welfare of Orphans and Vulnerable children in Meru Municipality; To assess
how staff competencies in charitable children’s institutions influence the welfare of Orphans
and Vulnerable children in Meru Municipality; To establish the extent to which institutional
policy guidelines in charitable children’s institutions influence the welfare of Orphans and
Vulnerable children in Meru Municipality; To assess the level at which physical facilities in
charitable children’s institutions influence the welfare of Orphans and Vulnerable children in
Meru Municipality. This study used both qualitative and quantitative methodology to
examine the influence of charitable children’s institutions to the welfare of Orphans and
Vulnerable Children in Meru Municipality. The study was conducted through descriptive
cross-sectional survey design methodology and employed stratified sampling, simple random
sampling and purposive sampling techniques. The main research instruments for collecting
data included observation checklist and questionnaires. The study employed three out of the 6
CCIs found in Meru Municipality. These tools were selected because of the nature of data
collected, the time available and the objectives of the study. Descriptive statistical analyses
was employed in this study where data was analyzed using SPSS. The study established that
child care among CCIs in Meru Municipality has some influence on child welfare. Factors
such as nutrition, health, child rights, psychosocial needs and disaster preparedness are
catered for though not to the fullest. The study revealed that CCIs in Meru Municipality are
not properly equipped with professional staff in all areas of service. It was clear that some
staffs in the CCIs were doubling in their responsibilities which could compromise child’s
welfare. The study further established that majority of the children in the CCIs do not know
the mission and the vision statements of their institutions and only a few of them think that
the CCIs are committed to these statements. Finally, the study revealed that physical facilities
such as water and lighting for CCIs in Meru Municipality are from sources that can
compromise the welfare of the children. The living conditions in some CCIs are crowded
within scarce land. The study recommends that CCIs must provide nutrition in sufficient
quantities, frequency and quality, the diet must be balanced, treatment should be timely
offered, psychosocial needs of the children should be addressed by providing opportunities
for quality interaction and disaster preparedness plan should be available. Additionally, all
CCIs must have a combination of skilled and professional staffs that are qualified in the work
they do and should not double responsibilities to ensure productivity and quality service to
the children. All CCIs must have institutional policy statements as vision statement, mission
statements and core values clearly displayed, understood and complied with. Lastly, CCIs
should provide ample physical facilities for the children beneficiaries. The source and mode
of provision of such facilities should be from sources and channels that are likely not to
compromise child welfare. Local authorities should plan for CCIs because they need to be
built in areas where there is enough space to avoid congestion. | en |
