African Child Law Journal (Law/Social crossover) | 04 September 2005
Parental Involvement Programmes and Child Wellbeing in Urban Ghana: Insights from Accra's Poor Neighborhoods,
E, d, n, a, A, f, u, a, A, m, o, a, h, ,, K, o, f, i, K, w, e, s, i, A, s, a, r, e
Abstract
Urban poverty in Accra, Ghana presents unique challenges for child wellbeing and family life satisfaction. Parental involvement programmes have been introduced to address these issues, but their effectiveness remains under-researched. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with parents and caregivers from selected urban poor communities. Data analysis involved thematic content analysis to identify patterns and themes regarding parental involvement and child wellbeing outcomes. Parental involvement programmes showed a significant positive direction in enhancing family life satisfaction, particularly among mothers who reported increased emotional support for their children. The qualitative insights suggest that tailored parental involvement programmes can improve the social and emotional well-being of urban poor families, warranting further research and policy implementation. Policy recommendations include expanding access to professional parenting education and increasing community-based support networks. Future studies should explore longitudinal impacts and scalability.