Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Foster Care Placement has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with rehabilitation of street children. This growing interest reflects the recognition that foster care placement does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Lagos State.

Lagos 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

Despite a growing body of literature on foster care placement, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with rehabilitation of street children, particularly within Lagos State. Many organizations continue to make decisions about foster care placement without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect rehabilitation of street children. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Foster Care Placement on rehabilitation of street children in Lagos State.
2. To assess the extent to which foster care placement influences rehabilitation of street children within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with foster care placement in relation to rehabilitation of street children.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing foster care placement in order to improve rehabilitation of street children.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of foster care placement on rehabilitation of street children in Lagos State?
2. To what extent does foster care placement influence rehabilitation of street children within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with foster care placement in relation to rehabilitation of street children?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize foster care placement 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 Lagos State, the study provides practical insight into how foster care placement 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

In terms of scope, this BSc study confines itself to Lagos State, focusing specifically on how foster care placement relates to rehabilitation of street children within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.