Foster Care in Ghana: The Impact of Socio-Cultural Changes on Attitudes and Practice

Kinship fostercare is a traditional practice that is integral to the Ghanaian culture. It has been practised for generations and continues to be practised today. However, the Ghanaian society has undergone significant socio-cultural change since independence in 1957. Not only have traditional family structures changed, but there has also been a notable increase in the proportion of the population that has had access to education and employed in the modern economy. These changes have contributed to the altering peoples' perceptions about particular traditional practices such as kinship foster care. Drawing on primary data from northern Ghana and existing literature, this chapter outlines the nature of traditional kinship foster care in Ghana, the current legal provisions for fostering, people's perceptions of kinship fostering and the potential challenges to fostering practice. Recommendations for future practice are presented