Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Community-Based Rehabilitation has emerged as a critical factor shaping rehabilitation of street children across organizations operating in and around Kaduna State. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how community-based rehabilitation relates to rehabilitation of street children has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Kaduna 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 community-based rehabilitation, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with rehabilitation of street children, particularly within Kaduna State. Many organizations continue to make decisions about community-based rehabilitation 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 Community-Based Rehabilitation on rehabilitation of street children in Kaduna State.
2. To assess the extent to which community-based rehabilitation influences rehabilitation of street children within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with community-based rehabilitation in relation to rehabilitation of street children.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing community-based rehabilitation in order to improve rehabilitation of street children.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of community-based rehabilitation on rehabilitation of street children in Kaduna State?
2. To what extent does community-based rehabilitation influence rehabilitation of street children within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with community-based rehabilitation in relation to rehabilitation of street children?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize community-based rehabilitation 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 Kaduna State, the study provides practical insight into how community-based rehabilitation 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 Community-Based Rehabilitation and its relationship with rehabilitation of street children within the context of Kaduna 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.