Experiences of grief and maltreatment among orphans in foster homes in Namibia

Orphans in SSA are often cared for in foster homes. Although there is no consistent picture of whether orphans experience more often than non-orphans child maltreatment, they are at risk of facing violence in their home situation. This study aimed to understand how Namibian orphans experience their treatment in foster care and how exposure to maltreatment influences their experiences of grief. An ethnographic design was used in which 46 children, adolescents, their carers and various experts in northern Namibia participated. Focus groups, individual interviews and art-based methods were used. The results show that the majority of the orphans experience a form of maltreatment, including differential treatment between themselves and the biological children in the household. Risk factors for child maltreatment are identified on child, carer and household level. Children and adolescents long for their parents when they are treated badly and feel the parent could have protected and comforted them, which shows the important role of having a secure foster home situation in coping with parental loss. Parenting interventions to positively influence the risk of child maltreatment in foster care are recommended.