Paper short abstract:

According to UNESCO, there are approximately 259 million children globally deprived of education in some way. Of these children, there is a significant number engaged in the role of caregivers.This paper seeks to better understand how caregiving by children impacts their educational aspirations

Paper long abstract:

According to UNESCO data, there are approximately 259 million children globally deprived of education in some way. Of these children, there is a significant number who are engaged in the role of caregivers. The majority of children caregivers are situated in Africa. Alongside existing education gaps in Africa, the challenges for children caregivers are enormous. This paper examines the impact of caregiving on children in Africa and how engaging in such roles affects their educational aspirations and attainment. In particular, the paper focuses on the case of children in witch camps in Ghana who offer care roles to their parents who have been evicted from their societies. This project is novel and fills a knowledge gap in scholarship. That is, although children have been at the centre of studies and policy discourse for years, the extent to which children who perform caregiving roles intersect with their educational aspirations and attainment is currently under-researched. The project's findings will shape policy formulation, programming, and implementation of programs to improve the educational aspirations and achievement of children who provide caregiving roles.