INFLUENCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS ON APPRENTICESHIP FOSTERING IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10/3303/jees.2026.0301/043Keywords:
Foster Child, Fosterage, Empowerment, Aspiration, ApprenticeshipAbstract
Socioeconomic factors play major roles in empowering children worldwide. This study examines how socioeconomic factors influence foster care and how this relates to foster children’s aspirations in Enugu State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling was used in the selection of 6 settlements, and 400 foster children were systematically interviewed through a well-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that 89.5% of the children were sent into fosterage when they were less than18 years old, with the majority being indigenes of Enugu North and living in high (60.5%) and low (65.5%) income households. The multiple regression result (R2) indicates that the highest level of education obtained, foster parents’ household wealth, household living arrangement, the foster child’s age, and the foster parents’ religion accounted for 56% of the variation in foster children’s aspirations. However, only the foster child’s age (t = 3.275, p < 0.05) and the foster parent’s religion (t = -3.253, p < 0.05) significantly influenced children’s aspirations. The study concludes that poor demographic and socioeconomic factors sustain apprenticeship fostering. Therefore, it is recommended that improvements in foster children’s education, foster parents’ household wealth, and foster children’s living arrangements will promote greater aspirations in the study area.
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