Abstract The United Nations Guideline for the Alternative Care for Children is a framework intended to ensure global de-institutionalization and reintegration of children in care institutions. Despite Ghana’s commitments towards de-institutionalization of vulnerable children in need of care, for some children residential care still remains the only formal alternative option. Therefore, this study sought to examine the welfare of children who are still in residential care homes in Ghana. Using the phenomenological approach, triangulated data was collected through in-depth interviews with 79 participants including children, caregivers and management staff of six residential care homes in Ghana. Data from the interviews were thematically analyzed with the assistance of NVivo 11 software. The study revealed frontline staff limitation of addressing emotional needs of children and the managements’ fund-raising shortcomings to address logistical challenges. However, children in residential care homes had their basic provisions including; food, shelter and educational needs met. It is suggested that Ghana’s child welfare policies should be amended to include compulsory targeted training models to orient caregivers on secure attachment styles and the need to establish short-term bond with children in care. Further studies could examine Ghana’s cultural practices on attachment building and bonding among surrogate parents and how it can be adapted in formal childcare practice.

中文翻译：

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检查旧遗迹中儿童的福利规定：关注加纳的养老院中留下的儿童

摘要联合国儿童替代照料准则是一个框架，旨在确保儿童在照料机构中的全球非机构化和重返社会。尽管加纳承诺对需要照料的脆弱儿童实行非机构化服务，但对某些儿童来说，住宿照料仍然是唯一的正式替代选择。因此，本研究试图检查仍在加纳的养老院中儿童的福利。使用现象学方法，通过对79名参与者（包括加纳6所养老院的儿童，看护者和管理人员）进行深入访谈，收集了三角数据。借助NVivo 11软件，对访谈数据进行了主题分析。该研究表明，一线员工在解决儿童情感需求方面存在局限性，以及管理层在应对后勤挑战方面的筹款缺陷。但是，寄宿家庭中的儿童有其基本规定，包括；食物，住所和教育需求得到满足。建议对加纳的儿童福利政策进行修订，以包括针对性的强制性培训模型，以指导看护人注意安全的依恋方式，以及与受照料儿童建立短期纽带的需要。进一步的研究可以检查加纳在代孕父母之间建立依恋和建立纽带的文化习俗，以及如何在正式的育儿实践中进行调整。敬老院的儿童有以下基本规定：食物，住所和教育需求得到满足。建议对加纳的儿童福利政策进行修订，以包括针对性的强制性培训模型，以指导看护人注意安全的依恋方式，以及与受照料儿童建立短期纽带的需要。进一步的研究可以检查加纳在代孕父母之间建立依恋和建立纽带的文化习俗，以及如何在正式的育儿实践中进行调整。敬老院的儿童有以下基本规定：食物，住所和教育需求得到满足。建议对加纳的儿童福利政策进行修订，以包括针对性的强制性培训模型，以指导看护人注意安全的依恋方式，以及与受照料儿童建立短期纽带的需要。进一步的研究可以检查加纳在代孕父母之间建立依恋和建立纽带的文化习俗，以及如何在正式的育儿实践中进行调整。