Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Foster Care Placement has emerged as a critical factor shaping quality of life of the elderly across organizations operating in and around Lagos State. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how foster care placement relates to quality of life of the elderly has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

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

While foster care placement is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on quality of life of the elderly within Lagos 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 foster care placement are helping or hindering quality of life of the elderly — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

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

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of foster care placement on quality of life of the elderly in Lagos State?
2. To what extent does foster care placement influence quality of life of the elderly within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with foster care placement in relation to quality of life of the elderly?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize foster care placement in order to improve quality of life of the elderly?

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 quality of life of the elderly. 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 quality of life of the elderly within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.