It is expected that children should feel safe in their homes, in the school, and in their communities , but sometimes the reverse is the case. Some children experience violence instead, either through their biological parents or even guardians, and thus the need for child services or protection.
Both boys and girls experience abuse and severe ill treatment, which is uncalled for. A lot of children hawk under the scorching sun; some go to houses doing cleaning jobs, and others go for maid jobs, all to help their families live. Some children never see the four walls of school, some are dropouts, while others are being sent to go live with their relatives and still receive all forms of abuse over there. I have heard several news stories of a dad abusing his own daughter sexually , an elder brother abusing his little kid sister , and some form of physical torture some children receive as if they are in prison but yet at home.
Children are being starved; some of them overwork themselves at their age , yet no one speaks for them. We have no functional system of child services here, just as it is in other developed countries where children are being attended to immediately if such issues arise. The few we have, people hardly speak out.
A home should be an environment that thrives in love, an environment in which a child will feel safe and protected, receiving guidance and discipline with love to make him or her a responsible individual in the society and not the other way around. Most of the abuse we hear about today occurs within families and communities and also within organizations. There is rape, child abuse, defilement , neglect, and maltreatment. The news has been rampant, and it's a concern. The downside of it is that a lot of people don't even report the issue when we see such. Some children are just helpless out there, silently going through untold pain in the society they find themselves in.
However, here in Lagos State, Nigeria, our governor established the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Program, where issues concerning child services should be reported. As long as I know, the state government takes action against all forms of violent crimes to ensure the safety and security of the children in the state , but the question still remains: how many people are reporting the cases? It's a shame, I must say. You see some adults and family members who often hide secrets of their relative's case of child abuse, and how does that help such a child? If we can have a shift in our mindset and start reporting, then people may start abstaining from acting negatively towards these vulnerable children.
Having said that, I understand that some countries that have a better system of child services do all they do for the welfare of these children. However, they take things too far sometimes and end up breaking up homes. I think separating these children from their families in their homes should come last after trying other solutions to correct the wrongs. Every child deserves family love and bonds, and it's difficult for a child to achieve that without his family. Sometimes , the hardship children go through is due to poverty, but financial support for the family can fix this particular concern. Then the physical torture and sexual abuse are something the government can take upon themselves to see how they can step in and put an end to it. Also, checking and tracking the well-being of the child more often can help to some extent. After trying without success, then taking the child away becomes a better option for the safety of the child.
Overall, the first solution to this child services issue remains to always report issues. When you see something , say something!
This is my response to the #hivelearners contest on the topic titled, Child Services.
Images were taken from canva
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