Child-headed households in Rakai District, Uganda: a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Children and young people living in CHH are a largely invisible and highly vulnerable population. Clear, officially accepted definitions of CHH are a first step in recognising this vulnerable group for whom safeguards will be necessary as social work develops in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The precise numbers of CHH are unknown and further examination of this undocumented group is needed.

Cango Lyec (Healing the Elephant): Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in Northern Uganda five years after a violent conflict

“…On the other hand, female abductees who endured wartime sexual violence might have avoided returning home out of fear of stigmatization and rejection, especially those who had borne children in the bush ( Patel et al., 2013 ; Atim et al., 2018 ). Evidence shows that child/youth-headed households in Uganda face a myriad of daily difficulties including frequent illnesses, fear of abuse or property theft, thwarted educational opportunities, and substandard living conditions ( Satzinger et al., 2012 ; Collins et al., 2016 ). Given our findings, continued investment is needed to assist local residents with rebuilding homesteads, resolve post-conflict land disputes, and ensure safe, stable housing for vulnerable community members ( Nuttman-Shwartz et al., 2011 ).…”

Leaving No One Behind: A Photovoice Case Study on Vulnerability and Wellbeing of Children Heading Households in Two Informal Settlements in Nairobi

“…When families do not absorb children within their communities, the eldest of the children may assume parental responsibilities (Van Breda 2010;Chidziva and Heeralal 2016). In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the limited literature on CHHs mainly focuses on children that were made orphans amidst the strains on kinship networks due to the high mortality from the HIV/AIDS pandemic (Chademana and Van Wyk 2021;Francis-Chizororo 2010;Mogotlane et al 2010;Collins et al 2016). The scale of the CHHs problem in Kenya is significant.…”

“…Studies of CHHs experiences in Africa are framed from a range of perspectives, including quality of life (Chademana and Van Wyk 2021;Awino 2010), vulnerabilities (Donald and Clacherty 2005), resilience (Ward and Eyber 2009) and coping strategies (Daniel and Mathias 2012;Kurebwa and Kurebwa 2014). Some studies focus on psychological or psychosocial wellbeing (Caserta et al 2017;Makuyana et al 2020), whilst others consider multiple aspects of daily life including material, social aspects (Kanyi 2019;Collins et al 2016;Kurebwa and Kurebwa 2014;Evans 2005;Mogotlane et al 2010).…”

“…Furthermore, lack of financial resources (Chademana and Van Wyk 2021) as well as lack of knowledge or the right documentation (Mogotlane et al 2010) hinders adequate access to general health services. Rapid parentification and lack of financial assets translates to high school dropout rates, which have longstanding impacts on the opportunities for CHHs to break out of cycles of poverty (Collins et al 2016;Kurebwa and Kurebwa 2014). CHHs are often vulnerable to exploitation by family, such as failure to recognise or grabbing inheritance, including in informal settlements in Kenya (Kanyi 2019) as well as in Uganda (Collins et al 2016).…”

AIDS in childhood: current contexts

“…To recognize this vulnerable group for whom objective, a lienated health interventions will be neededas social work develops in middle-andlower-income countries.To quantify this population are needed more in-depth studies of this un documented group. (Collins et al, 2016).…”