Comparative Analysis of Child Protection Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: Review of Four Countries with Implications for the Practice of Social Workers
Résumé
Résumé : Introduction: La protection de l'enfance, un problème persistant et urgent en Afrique subsaharienne, est fortement influencée par une histoire coloniale qui a façonné les structures sociales et les politiques de la région, selon des études récentes. Cette revue de la littérature compare les systèmes de protection de l'enfance des Seychelles, du Ghana, du Kenya et de la Sierra Leone, qui partagent une histoire coloniale sous la domination britannique, afin d'identifier les similitudes et les différences et de comprendre les implications du système de protection de l'enfance en vigueur sur les travailleurs sociaux chargés de la protection de l'enfance. Méthodes: Une recherche informatisée dans des bases de données électroniques, telles que Social Work Abstract et Google Scholar, a été effectuée entre 2005 et 2024. Des articles, des politiques et des rapports publiés, non publiés, évalués par des pairs et non évalués par des pairs ont été analysés à l'aide de la méthode d'étude de cas comparative. Résultats: Les résultats de l'analyse comparative des documents politiques, des articles et des rapports révèlent que les quatre pays disposent de cadres juridiques et de principes guidant le système de protection de l'enfance. En outre, dans les quatre pays, la structure institutionnelle de la protection de l'enfance est une approche descendante. Les résultats montrent également une différence et davantage de similitudes. Il existe une différence dans les questions de protection de l'enfance et le statut socio-économique des enfants, car les pays ont des indices de développement humain différents. Cependant, il existe des similitudes significatives dans l'approche des services, le contrôle de l'État et les cadres législatifs, qui trouvent leur origine dans le modèle anglo-saxon de protection de l'enfance typique du Royaume-Uni. Ces similitudes ont des implications pour la pratique, car les travailleurs sociaux chargés de la protection de l'enfance manquent d'autonomie, de flexibilité et de réflexivité. Discussion: Compte tenu des implications des systèmes de protection de l'enfance sur les travailleurs sociaux chargés de la protection de l'enfance, l'article plaide en faveur d'un système qui leur permette d'agir avec discrétion dans l'intérêt supérieur de l'enfant plutôt que dans le cadre d'un système restrictif et contrôlé. Conclusion: L'étude souligne le potentiel de changement positif dans les systèmes de protection de l'enfance en Afrique subsaharienne, où les travailleurs sociaux chargés de la protection de l'enfance seront autonomisés et bénéficieront d'une plus grande flexibilité et d'une plus grande innovation, ce qui pourra favoriser et promouvoir une approche centrée sur l'enfant et rendre la protection de l'enfance plus efficace.
Mots-clés : Systèmes de protection de l'enfance ; Travailleurs sociaux ; Afrique Subsaharienne.
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© Ayuk Nyakpo Orock, Pavel Navratil, Susantha Rasnayake, Eun Koh, Theogene-Octave Gakuba 2025
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