Child protection advocates from BRAVEAURORA say poverty, conflict and limited support systems are key drivers pushing children into orphanages and onto the streets in parts of the Upper East Region.
Speaking during the State of Our Nation programme hosted by Nicholas Azebire, the group outlined multiple challenges facing vulnerable families and children.
According to the organization, unplanned births, particularly multiple births such as twins or triplets, can overwhelm families with limited financial capacity, sometimes leading to child abandonment.
“In some cases, a parent plans for one child but ends up with three and feels unable to cope,” a representative said. “Some abandon the others, and they end up in care homes or on the streets.”
The group also cited recurring conflicts in some communities as a growing cause of child displacement, noting that children are often separated from their families while fleeing violence.
“Children run in different directions during conflicts and may never find their families again,” another member said.
Other factors identified include chronic illness, poverty and the difficulty of caring for children with disabilities, especially in rural areas where caregivers must balance farming and childcare responsibilities.
Despite these pressures, the advocates emphasized that residential homes should only serve as temporary shelters in emergency situations.
“The homes are not meant to raise children permanently,” a spokesperson said. “They are places of safety until the child can be reintegrated into a family.”
The group highlighted alternative care options such as kinship care, foster care, adoption and family reunification as more sustainable solutions for children in need.
They also urged communities and individuals to shift focus toward supporting vulnerable families directly, rather than concentrating only on donations to orphanages.
“Instead of waiting to donate to homes, we should identify struggling families and support them so children can remain where they belong,” the group said.
They added that strengthening family and community support systems is essential to reducing child abandonment and improving long-term outcomes for children.
