Do Child Services Always Get It Right? A Nigerian Perspective

Every child deserves to be born into a home where they can be loved, taken care of, and shielded from all kinds of wicked darts that are thrown at them. The world is bad enough for children to be born into a horrible home where they are not just scared of the dangers in the outside world but also the dangers within their own home.

The fact that there are children who face this, hence the creation of child services to help them fight the battle they can't find themselves. In a simple definition, children's services refer to the range of support and assistance provided to children who accompany abused mothers to shelters, including interventions such as group therapy, play and art activities, and individual services aimed at enhancing the bond between women and their children.

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In my country (Nigeria), I am sure there are child services but it's not like its a major thing that people talk about. You see, one thing about child services is that it aims to help women and children in an abusive home, and while doing that, help the mother and children bond more closely. Yes, we may have child service too, but I am sure many people would prefer to go to family members than go to any other place to discuss their problems.

There’s a cultural context to this. Many Nigerian families, regardless of tribe or faith, strongly believe in handling family matters privately. Involving child services or any formal institution is often seen as a "last resort" or, worse, as a betrayal of family trust. Even in the case of divorce, the family must have tried something before anything can be taken to the court. If any partner makes a move first without informing the family, the person will be tagged as the wrongdoer, even when they are right.

However, when child services do step in, especially in other countries, there are questions about how far is too far. We’ve heard stories, both online and offline, about families being broken apart by decisions that seem rushed, one-sided, or lacking full understanding of the cultural or emotional background of the situation. If someone marries into any country, I believe they need to understand the cultural background of that country first before they make any major decision because one wrong move could cost them dearly.

This isn’t to say that child services don’t do important work; they do. In fact, their role is critical in protecting children who are in dangerous environments. A lot of children face abusive parents daily, and there is nothing they can do; they don't even know the necessary bodies to report to unless someone smart like you or I helps them.

In Nigeria, we need to strengthen our own child protection systems not only through laws and agencies but through awareness and trust. We need to restructure the children's service in a way it will help the children and also find a balance with the culture of the land.

At the end of the day, every child matters. But so do families. So does healing. And so does doing the right thing, with empathy, not just authority.

Thanks for reading; My name is Fashtioluwa.