“Exiled Life, or Home Away from Home?” Exploring Ghanaian Orphan Narratives of Orphanage Placement

Abstract

The institutionalization of Ghanaian orphans has surged in recent times, but little is known about orphans’ experiences after placement. Drawing on data from follow-up interviews with twenty orphans aged eight to seventeen years, the present study explores orphans’ experiences subsequent to placement in orphanages. Through thematic analyses, we find that while orphanages provide structure, nurturance, and avenues for positive peer relationships that engender belongingness and emotional well-being, they evoke peer- and caregiver-relationship problems and financial constraints. Implications of the findings include the need for psychotherapeutic containment of orphans’ negative emotions after parental loss, provision of psychosocial interventions aimed at teaching orphanage-placed children skills for forming and sustaining healthy peer relationships, and psychoeducation of caregivers on skills for appropriate care of orphanage-placed children.

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