Power in Child Caregiving in a Patrilineal Ghanaian Society: Implications for Childcare Research and Practice

Abstract

Ethnographic research on childcare has focused on understanding the influence of cultural contexts on childcare. The research, however, lacks discussions of a child's caregiver as a position of power, and analysis of the knowledge underpinning childcare. Consequently, much remains unknown about the adults responsible for childcare, the significance of their roles, and the values that shape their actions. This paper analyzes how the meanings embedded within the position of “child's caregiver” and the narratives around the position influence childcare practices in Manya Klo, Ghana. The findings suggest that research has overlooked the influence of power in analyses of childcare roles and identifying children's caregivers. The findings challenge the use of female household headship, direct observation of parent–child contact, provision of material goods, and fathers’ absence as bases for determining children's caregivers. The differences in the meanings of childcare concepts create different expectations for local communities and external agencies that support children.