Community Participation and Child Protection System Effectiveness in Selected LGAs of Ogun State, Nigeria

This study examines the role of community participation in enhancing the effectiveness of child protection systems in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ogun State, Nigeria. Child protection systems are designed to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, and exploitation; however, their effectiveness in developing contexts remains constrained by weak implementation, poor coordination, and limited community engagement. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 400 respondents comprising households, community leaders, social workers, and NGO representatives. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, were employed. Results show that community participation is significantly above the moderate benchmark (M = 3.42, SD = 0.68, t = 12.35, p < 0.05), while child protection system effectiveness is also significant but moderate (M = 3.28, SD = 0.72, t = 9.87, p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between community participation and system effectiveness (r = 0.640, p < 0.01), as well as significant associations with awareness (r = 0.582, p < 0.01). Conversely, challenges such as cultural barriers and institutional weaknesses showed significant negative relationships with participation (r = -0.455, p < 0.01) and system effectiveness (r = -0.492, p < 0.01). Regression results further indicate that challenges significantly predict system effectiveness (β = -0.41, t = -7.82, p < 0.05), explaining 29% of the variance (R² = 0.29). The study concludes that enhancing community participation and addressing structural barriers are critical for improving child protection outcomes.