Social Workers Challenges in Reintegrating Children From Residential Care Into Families. A Case of Wakiso District

Abstract

There is a lack of sufficient documented information on social worker perspectives in Uganda. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to establish the challenges social workers face in the reintegration of residential children into families with a case of Wakiso district. To discover how reintegration service provision can be improved from the social workers perspective, the researcher conducted a qualitative study. In the study, 24 social workers were interviewed from 20 residential homes in Wakiso District. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that reintegration in Uganda occurs in five stages. Throughout these stages, social workers experience structural, organizational, and personal challenges that result in delay or failure to reintegrate residential children into families. The study recommends building the capacity of parents to assume responsibility, children’s resilience, social workers and other stakeholders’ competence and unity for the betterment of service provision.