ABSTRACT

This study dealt with the assessment of the factors responsible for child abuse and neglect in Nkpor, Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State. The purpose was to determine the extent the various factors contribute to child abuse and neglect. A total number of 114 pupils were sampled from a population of 1138 nursery three pupils obtained from five nursery schools in Nkpor. Data were collected with the use factors of child abuse and neglect questionnaire which include: Parents Occupation Factor Questionnaire (POFQ), Family Status Factor Questionnaire (FSFQ), Parents Education Factor Questionnaire (PEFQ) and Concept of Child Abuse and Neglect Questionnaire (CCNQ). Four research questions guided the study, and simple percentage statistics was used to analyze the data collected. The results indicated that respondents have adequate knowledge of the concept of child abuse, whereas, in terms of child neglect, only a small percentage have a good understanding of it. In addition, the result also revealed that unemployment, broken home as well as death of mother constitute high risk factors of child abuse and neglect. Then, the following recommendations were made; awareness should be created among the public on the issue of child neglect and its effects on the child and the society at large. Also, laws affecting child abuse and neglect should be reviewed in line with contemporary situations and adequately enforced by agencies involved