The Influence Of Family Structure On Child Abuse In Low Income Communities (Bukom)

Abstract

Child abuse continues to pose significant challenges in low-income urban settings, where family structures, communication patterns, and cultural norms intersect to shape children’s welfare. This study examined how different family typologies; nuclear, extended, single-parent, blended, and kinship households, influence risks of abuse in Bukom, a densely populated community in Accra, Ghana. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory and Communication Accommodation Theory, the study focused on the role of caregiver-child communication, cultural practices, and community-based interventions in shaping child protection outcomes. Using a descriptive exploratory qualitative design within an interpretivist paradigm, the research engaged 30 participants, including caregivers, adolescents, community leaders, and social workers, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews in English and Ga and analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that while nuclear families provided role clarity, they were undermined by economic strain; extended and kinship families offered resilience but suffered from role ambiguity and neglect; single-parent and blended families faced heightened risks of abuse. Across all structures, poor communication, corporal punishment, gendered discipline, and cultural justifications normalized maltreatment. The study concludes that child protection in Bukom requires strengthening parenting education, fostering community engagement, improving institutional collaboration, creating safe spaces, and promoting gender-sensitive interventions.