Understanding the incidence of street children in Accra, Ghana through the public opinion, mass media, recognition and judgement perspectives in social work

Authors

  • Abraham Tetteh Teye Aalborg University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol35iss3id1015

Keywords:

Social Work, Street Children, Ghana, Recognition and Judgement, Social Work and the Mass Media, mass media

Abstract

Introduction: Throughout the entire change process in social work practice, power plays a vital role. Social workers, organizations, governments, and service users exert some form of power in the process of addressing social problems and implementing interventions. The arguments in this article demonstrate how these various viewpoints affect the prevalence of children on the streets.

Approach: Drawing from existing literature and diverse theories, this article critically examines the power dynamics and perspectives that emerge within the design and implementation of interventions for street children in Accra, Ghana, using the lens of social work, mass media, and public opinion, as well as the recognition and judgment in social work perspectives. When the predominance of street children in Ghana is examined through the lens of public opinion and mass media in social work, it becomes clear how Ghana's status as a liberal state influences the public and the media’s negative conception of street children. In addition, a critical analysis of the recognition and judgement theory in the Ghanaian context emphasizes how street children's fundamental rights are violated, which results in low self-esteem and confidence.

Conclusions: By offering practical suggestions for social workers, the paper's conclusion contributes to social work research and practice. Social workers, governments, and organizations may help street children by creating and putting into action rescue plans, raising awareness through advertisements and social media campaigns, and allocating enough human and financial resources.

References

Amekuedi, G. L. (2016). Addressing child streetism in the La-nkwantanang Madina municipality: The role of stake holders [Unpublished master’s thesis]. KDI School of Public Policy. https://archives.kdischool.ac.kr/

Amoah, P. A., & Jorgensen, S. H. (2014). Social capital, health, and health care among street children: A case study of street children in Kumasi metropolitan area, Ghana. Developing Country Studies, 4(4). https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234681539.pdf

Androff, D. (2018). Practicing human rights in social work: Reflections and rights-based approaches. Journal

of Human Rights and Social Work, 3, 179–182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-018-0056-5

Avelino, F. (2021). Theories of power and social change. Power contestations and their implications for research on social change and innovation. Journal of Political Power, 14, 425–448. https://doi.org/10.1080/215837 9X.2021.1875307

Awatey, S. (2014). Assessing the effects of streetism on the livelihood of street children: A case study of Kumasi (in Ghana). Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(9), 165–173. https://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/RHSS/article/view/12500

Ayelazuno J. (2015). Two decades of liberal democracy in Ghana: A critical political economy perspective. In S. Adejumobi (Ed.), National democratic reforms in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi. org/10.1057/9781137518828_3

Ayenew, M., Kabeta, T., & Woldemichael, K. (2020). Prevalence and factors associated with substance use among street children in Jimma town Oromiya national regional state Ethiopia: A community based cross- sectional study. Substance Abuse Treatment Prevention and Policy, 15, 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/ s13011-020-00304-3

Baute, S., Nicoli, F., & Vandenbroucke, F. (2022). Conditional generosity and deservingness in public support for European unemployment risk sharing. Journal of Common Market Studies, 60(1), 721–740. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13283

Bell, L., & Hafford-Letchfield, T. (2015). Power. Open University Press.

Black, M. (1993, February 15–25). Street and working children. Innocenti global seminar (Florence, Italy) summary report. UNICEF International Child Development Centre. https://www.unicef-irc.org/ publications/pdf/igs_streetchildren.pdf

Browning, M. H. E. M., & Rigolon, A. (2019). School green space and its impact on academic performance: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(3), 429. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030429

Campling, J., & Smith, R. (2008). Social work and power. Macmillan Education. http://public.eblib.com/choice/ PublicFullRecord.aspx?p=6418375

Chingonikaya, E. E., & Salehe, F. S. (2019). Contribution of law enforcement institutions in protecting street children’s rights in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Archives of Current Research International, 17(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.9734/acri/2019/v17i130099

Cooke, E., Hague, S., & McKay, A. (2016). The Ghana poverty and inequality report: using the 6th Ghana living standards survey. https://www.unicef.org/ghana/ media/531/file/The%20Ghana%20Poverty%20and%20 Inequality%20Report.pdf

Cumber, S. N., & Tsoka-Gwegweni, J. M. (2015). The health profile of street children in Africa: A literature review. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 6. https://doi. org/10.4081/jphia.2015.566

Dabir, N., & Athale, N. (2011). From street to hope: Faith based and secular programs in Los Angeles, Mumbai and Nairobi for street living children. Sage. https://dx.doi. org/10.4135/9788132107651

Dankyi, E., & Huang, K. Y. (2022). Street children in Ghana’s golden triangle cities: Mental health needs and associated risks. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 53(5), 840–851. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10578-021-01216-4

de Brito, A. (2014). Street children and the implementation of child protection regulations: comparing Brazil and South Africa. Linneaus University: Faculty of Social Sciences. http://lnu.diva-ortal.org/smash/get/diva2:748332/FULLTEXT01.pdf

De Moura, S. (2002). The social construction of street children: Configuration and implications. British Journal of Social Work, 32, 353. https://www.jstor.org/ stable/23716805

Department of Social Welfare, Ricerca e Cooperazione, Catholic Action for Street Children & Street Girls Aid. (2011). Census on street children in the greater Accra region, Ghana. https://bettercarenetwork.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/census_street_childern_in_accra.pdf

Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Princeton University Press.

Foucault, M. (1980). Power/knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings. Pantheon Books.

Freeman, M. (2007). A commentary on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 3: The best interests of the child. Brill.

Gayapersad, A., Embleton, L., Shah, P. P., Kiptui, R., Ayuku, D., & Braitstein, P. (2020). Using a sociological conceptualization of stigma to explore the social processes of stigma and discrimination of children in street situations in western Kenya. Child Abuse & Neglect, 104803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. chiabu.2020.104803

Ghana Statistical Service. (2021). Ghana 2021 population and housing census. General report volume 3a. https://statsghana.gov.gh/gssmain/fileUpload/ pressrelease/2021%20PHC%20General%20Report%20 Vol%203A_Population%20of%20Regions%20and%20 Districts_181121.pdf

Hair, H. J. (2014). Power relations in supervision: Preferred practices according to social workers. Families in Society, 95(2), 107–114. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044- 3894.2014.95.14

Honneth, A. (2018). The struggle for recognition the moral grammar of social conflicts. John Wiley and Sons.

Houston, S. (2016). Empowering the shamed self: Recognition and critical social work. Journal of Social Work, 16(1), 3–21. https://doi. org/10.1177/1468017314566789

International Federation of Social Workers. (2012). The ethics of social work: Statement of principles. https://ifsw.org/policies/the-ethics-of-social-work- statement-of-principles/

Jahan, A. & Rahman, M. (2016). Media and social work. International Journal of Science and Research, 5(8). https://www.ijsr.net/archive/v5i8/ART2016690.pdf

Joseph, R. (2020). The theory of empowerment: A critical analysis with the theory evaluation scale. Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment, 30(2), 138–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2019. 1660294

Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (2008). The media, poverty and public opinion in the UK. https://www.jrf.org.uk/ report/media-poverty-and-public-opinion-uk

Juul, S. (2009). Recognition and judgement in social work. European Journal of Social Work, 12, 403–417. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691450902981418

Juul, S. (2013). Solidarity in individualized societies: Recognition, justice and good judgement. Routledge.

Kam, P. K. (2021). Strengthening the empowerment approach in social work practice: An EPS model. Journal of Social Work, 21(3), 329–352. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017320911348

Larsen, C. A. (2008). The institutional logic of welfare attitudes: How welfare regimes influence public support. Comparative Political Studies, 41, 145–168. http://cps.sagepub.com/content/41/2/145.full.pdf+html

Larsen, C. A. (2008). The political logic of labour market reforms and popular images of target groups. Journal of European Social Policy, 18(1), 50–63. https://doi. org/10.1177%2F0958928707084451

Larsen, C. A., & Dejgaard, T. E. (2013). The institutional logic of images of the poor and welfare recipients. A comparative study of British, Swedish and Danish newspapers. Journal of European Social Policy, 23(3), 287–299. http://esp.sagepub.com/content/23/3/287.full.pdf+html

Laverack G. (2019). Public health: power empowerment and professional practice (4th ed.). Red Globe Press.

McFadden, J. B. (2010). Understanding media and culture: An introduction to mass communication. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. https://www2.palomar.edu/users/lpayn/115/GC115- Understanding-Media-and-Culture-An-Introduction- to-Mass-Communication.pdf

McLaren, H. J. (2007). Exploring the ethics of forewarning: Social workers, confidentiality and potential child abuse disclosures. Ethics and Social Welfare, 1, 22–40. https:// doi.org/10.1080/17496530701237159

Mensah, R. O. (2022). Ghana’s constitutional evolution since 1960: A comparative analysis of the country’s equality and anti-discrimination legal provisions. E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. https://doi. org/10.38159/ehass.2022371

Merriam S. B., & Tisdell E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Nieminen, E. (2010). The street children situation in Tamale, Ghana [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Diaconia University of Applied Sciences. http://www.theseus.fi/ handle/10024/14980

Oorschot, W. V. (2000). Who should get what, and why? On deservingness criteria and the conditionality of solidarity among the public. Policy and Politics, 28, 33–48. https://pure.uvt.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/388335/whoshould.pdf

Oppong Asante, K. (2016). Street children and adolescents in Ghana: A qualitative study of trajectory and behavioural experiences of homelessness. Global Social Welfare, 3, 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-015-0039-8

Orme, J., & Seipel, M. M. O. (2007). Survival strategies of street children in Ghana: A qualitative study. International Social Work, 50(4), 489–499. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0020872807077909

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., & Brennan, S. E. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 178–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.03.001

Quarshie, B. N. B. (2011). Public’s perceptions of the phenomenon of street children: A qualitative study of students and shopkeepers in Accra, Ghana [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Norwegian University of Science and Technology. https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/308606611_Public%27s_Perceptions_of_ the_Phenomenon_of_Street_children_A_Qualitative_ Study_of_Students_and_Shopkeepers_in_Accra_Ghana

Reamer, F. G. (2018). Social work values and ethics. Columbia University Press.

Saar-Heiman, Y. (2022). Power with and power over: Social workers’ reflections on their use of power when talking with parents about child welfare concerns. Children and Youth Services Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106776

Sakamoto, I., & Pitner, R. O. (2005). Use of critical consciousness in anti-oppressive social work practice: Disentangling power dynamics at personal and structural levels. British Journal of Social Work, 35, 435–452. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23720657

Shorthouse, R., & Kirkby, D. (2014). Give and take: How conservatives think about welfare. https://brightblue.org. uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Giveandtake.pdf

Tawfik, G. M., Dila, K. A. S., Mohamed, M. Y. F., Tam, D. N. H. Kien, N. D., Ahmed, A. M., & Huy, N. T. (2019). A step-by-step guide for conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis with simulation data. Tropical Medicine and Health, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/ s41182-019-0165-6

Tew, J. (2006). Understanding power and powerlessness: Towards a framework for emancipatory practice in social work. Journal of Social Work, 6, 33–52. https://doi. org/10.1177%2F1468017306062222

Tettegah, C. A. N. (2012). Streetism or living in the street, an emerging phenomenon as a way of life in developing countries, a case study of children living on the streets of Ghana [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Nottingham. http://eprints.nottingham. ac.uk/13703/1/575417.pdf

Whittaker, A., & Taylor, J. (2018). Professional judgement and decision-making in social work: An introduction. Journal of Social Work Practice, 32(2), 113–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2018.1462780

Wilkinson, R., & Pickett, K. (2009). The spirit level: Why equality is better for everyone. Penguin.

World Data Lab. (2021). Number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana from 2016 to 2021, by area (in 1,000s). Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1245342/number- of-people-living-in-extreme-poverty-in-ghana-by-area/

Xiao Y., & Watson M. (2019). Guidance on conducting a systematic literature review. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 93–112. https://doi. org/10.1177/0739456X17723971

Downloads

Published

2023-10-09

How to Cite

Teye, A. T. (2023). Understanding the incidence of street children in Accra, Ghana through the public opinion, mass media, recognition and judgement perspectives in social work. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 35(3), 32–43. https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol35iss3id1015

Issue

Section

Original Articles