The Oyo State Government and the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON), Oyo State Chapter, have called for stronger support systems for families and caregivers to improve the safety, protection and development of vulnerable children.
The call was made during the 2026 COLLABORATE+ Oyo State Chapter programme, organised in collaboration with the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) at Higher Ground Baptist Church, Akala Expressway, New Garage, Ibadan.
The programme, themed “Empowering Caregivers and Strengthening Families,” was held in line with CAFO’s 2026 theme, “LESS: Fewer Branches, Better Fruits.”
Representing the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, the Director of Child Welfare in the ministry, Gbemileke Ojerinde, said strengthening families and caregivers was critical to achieving better outcomes for children in alternative care.
Ojerinde said child welfare should not be regarded as the responsibility of government alone, stressing that families, communities, faith-based organisations, civil society groups, caregivers and other stakeholders all had important roles to play.
He said while institutional care remained necessary in some circumstances, efforts should also focus on preventing children from remaining in institutions simply because families lacked adequate support.
According to him, poverty, family conflict, neglect, disability, abuse, parental illness and the loss of a parent could contribute to the separation of children from their families.
He urged stakeholders to identify families experiencing difficulties early and provide appropriate support and access to relevant services to help prevent unnecessary separation.
Ojerinde also disclosed that the Oyo State Government had taken steps to strengthen its alternative care system, including the development of the Oyo State Alternative Care Guidelines.
He said the guidelines and other interventions were designed to strengthen child protection, regulate and monitor care arrangements, improve referral systems and promote family-based care.
The Director urged caregivers and operators of childcare institutions to place the safety, development, emotional wellbeing, identity and long-term interests of children at the centre of their work.
The Southwest Coordinator of ASOHON, Dr Rosemary Odigbo, said the 2026 COLLABORATE+ programme was designed to improve the quality and effectiveness of care provided to vulnerable children and families.
Odigbo said the theme highlighted the importance of equipping caregivers and strengthening families to provide better protection and support for children.
The guest facilitator, Barrister Emilia Oluwaseun Folajuwon-Banjo, identified safety, development, identity, participation, stability and non-discrimination as important considerations in the care and protection of children.
She urged caregivers to provide safe environments, ensure proper supervision, prevent foreseeable harm and respond promptly when children are exposed to risks.
Deputy State Coordinator of ASOHON, Oyo State Chapter, Abiola Adefolayan, said the programme would help caregivers acquire additional knowledge and skills required to effectively care for vulnerable children.
Adefolayan noted that children arriving at shelters often came from different backgrounds and could have experienced various forms of trauma, making specialised care and professional therapy important to their recovery.
She appealed to the government to provide greater support for therapeutic services for children in care, noting that the cost of therapy could be burdensome for families and institutions.
Adefolayan also urged families who were struggling to care adequately for their children not to abandon them, but to seek assistance from trusted relatives or appropriate care institutions.
She stressed that every child deserved to live a safe and dignified life, regardless of the circumstances that led to their placement in alternative care.
The programme formed part of efforts to strengthen support for vulnerable children and promote family-based care and child protection in Oyo State.