IMPACT OF BABY ABANDONMENT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

By

Iniobong Eduok

Joshua Ogunbunmi

&

Lucky Agary

Department of Criminology and Security Studies

National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of baby abandonment on child development in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The design adopted for the study was a mixed-methods research design. The population of the study consisted abandoned children (current and former) in orphanages, foster care systems, or juvenile centres. Social workers, caregivers, government officials, and psychologists. Young offenders (delinquents) in correctional facilities with histories of abandonment within Akwa Ibom State. The sample size of the study consisted of 150 abandoned children across orphanages, foster homes, and juvenile centres using stratified sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made questionnaire titled: “Baby Abandonment and Child Development Questionnaire”, which was used to obtain data from respondents. The reliability of the instrument was found to between .67-.83 using Cronbach Alpha statistics. The data obtained was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study showed that the developmental challenges of baby abandonment have a significant impact on child development. There was a moderately low impact of socio-economic and cultural factors on baby abandonment. Also, there was a moderate to somewhat high impact, leaning toward positive but not strongly impactful. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended among others that Government agencies such as ministries of social development and child protection services, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in child welfare and development centres should strengthen child welfare interventions and be made responsible for child welfare.