Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Orphanage Care Practices has emerged as a critical factor shaping rehabilitation of street children across organizations operating in and around Kwara State. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how orphanage care practices relates to rehabilitation of street children has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Kwara State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While orphanage care practices is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on rehabilitation of street children within Kwara State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to orphanage care practices are helping or hindering rehabilitation of street children — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Orphanage Care Practices on rehabilitation of street children in Kwara State.
2. To assess the extent to which orphanage care practices influences rehabilitation of street children within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with orphanage care practices in relation to rehabilitation of street children.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing orphanage care practices in order to improve rehabilitation of street children.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of orphanage care practices on rehabilitation of street children in Kwara State?
2. To what extent does orphanage care practices influence rehabilitation of street children within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with orphanage care practices in relation to rehabilitation of street children?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize orphanage care practices in order to improve rehabilitation of street children?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around rehabilitation of street children. For managers and practitioners within Kwara State, the study provides practical insight into how orphanage care practices can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on social work by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Orphanage Care Practices and its relationship with rehabilitation of street children within the context of Kwara State. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.