Working with parents to keep children safe

This blog post shares the findings of research undertaken by Hannah Steele, a University of Sheffield student who completed a research placement with Kids Club Kampala in June 2025.

This study explored how parents* in Kampala protect their children, examining their strategies and engagement with Kids Club Kampala's programmes. Centering their lived experiences, Hannah conducted interviews with parents in Naguru, Katanga, and Luwero to find out about their strengths, challenges and aspirations for protecting children. 

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Keeping children safe

Parents have a profound influence over a child's development, safety and future. While some parenting constraints may stem from deliberate neglect, the majority are caused by external barriers that lie beyond parents’ control (Musendo, 2024).

In Kampala’s slum communities, barriers to child protection include interconnected local factors like financial strain and familial instability. These pressures are intensified by low parental confidence and multidimensional poverty (deprivations in health, education, and living standards) (OPHI, 2022; Save the Children, 2012). Exacerbating these challenges are threats such as online dangers, violence against children, and climate change (Government of Uganda, 2020).

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Research findings

Parents viewed providing basic needs (food, education and shelter) as the definition of child safety, highlighting the significance of local understandings of child protection. Three key themes emerged from the interviews with parents: familial instability, discipline, and collective responsibility.

Familial instability

Parents highlighted how the breakdown of family structures, due to separation, divorce, or the death of a parent, erodes support systems (e.g. extended family networks, informal childcare arrangements, economic support and wellbeing support) that help them protect their children. This instability places an emotional and practical burden on the remaining parent. 

One parent explained:

"My husband died and left the children when they were young, so I went through a lot to make sure that I keep them safe."

Participants experienced struggles that extended far beyond a simple lack of income. Interconnected deprivations, such as barriers to education, food insecurity, health, sanitation, and inadequate housing, collectively created obstacles to keeping children safe.

Discipline

The research revealed the impact of generational influence on discipline. Many parents reported using the same harsh disciplinary methods they experienced as children, confirming the long-lasting influence of certain practices. Some parents viewed harsh methods as necessary to ensure children’s obedience, such as:

"Raising my voice towards [children] if they do wrong."

Kids Club Kampala aims to break generational cycles of abuse by promoting non-violent methods of discipline. By equipping parents with positive parenting strategies, Kids Club Kampala encourages caregivers to manage behaviour without resorting to harmful practices. This approach empowers parents to adopt safer practices that protect children and foster long-term wellbeing.

The research also revealed a powerful desire for change. Many parents sought to adopt new parenting methods, a shift most evident among those who had participated in Kids Club Kampala’s interventions. One parent noted: 

"As a parent, even me, I was making mistakes with my children."

Generational influence is not entirely negative. One parent, raised in the community, demonstrated that intergenerational cycles can transmit positive values and resilience. This collective approach shows that when positive knowledge is shared, this can be a powerful way to keep children safe.

Collective responsibility

A key child protection strategy parents described was collective supervision, focusing on ensuring children move together for safety. When asked how to protect children outside, one parent said:

"[The children] move in groups, no one should leave the other behind."

One parent living in Naguru stated that slum flooding and stream pollution compromise child safety, sanitation, and food access. Despite these challenges, another key collective strategy observed was community members working together to grow their own food where it was safe.

This strong sense of collective responsibility confirms that community-led child protection mechanisms are essential and already active in Kampala’s slums. 

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Aspirations for the future

Kids Club Kampala runs supplementary meetings for parents alongside its existing programmes. Secondary data shows exceptionally high engagement, with 38 parents attending one meeting - more than double the expected turnout of 15. This highlights a strong demand for parental support spaces. When parents were asked in this study if they would attend a distinct parent training programme, they confirmed they would. This level of participation underscores that parent meetings are in high demand and serve as a vital forum for parents to exchange knowledge, strengthen protective practices, and discuss child safety strategies. One parent observed: 

“Kids Club always tell parents that the way they teach the children... is the same way they want parents to teach them back home." 

When asked what kind of training sessions they would like to see from Kids Club Kampala, parents requested training on topics like positive discipline, hygiene, and child safety. They also called for improvements to their living conditions, including better sanitation, affordable healthcare, and financial assistance for school fees to improve their ability to protect their children.

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Conclusion

The research findings revealed a desire from parents for skills training on child protection for the home environment. While respondents expressed satisfaction with the support their children receive from Kids Club Kampala, significant barriers within the home and community hinder their ability to implement protective strategies independently. Future interventions must combine parental skills education (promoting parental independence and confidence) with broader systemic change to create a long-lasting protective environment for children.

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*Throughout this blog post, the term 'parents' refers to all guardians and carers.

References:

• Government of Uganda (2020). 

• Musendo, D. J. Z. M. ’Nkhonjera, T. A. ’Polack, S. ’Patel, D. (2024). “It Is My Responsibility to Escort My Child to School. . .” Factors Influencing Parental Involvement in Educating Children with Disabilities in Malawi. Social Sciences, 13(12).

• OPHI (2022). Multidimensional Poverty Index Report 2022 – Uganda | OPHI.

• Save the Children. (2012). Mapping Community-based Child Protection Mechanisms – Uganda. Child Protection in Crisis.