SAFEGUARDING CAPACITY AWARENESS AMONG BABCOCK UNIVERSITY SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AS A PREDICTOR OF ORPHANAGE EXPLOITATION RISKS IN NIGERIA

The issue of child safeguarding and exploitation in orphanages remains a pressing concern in Nigeria, where children, especially those in orphanages, are at high risk of abuse, trafficking, and neglect. This study aimed to examine whether safeguarding capacity awareness among Social Work students at Babcock University predicts their ability to identify and address orphanage exploitation risks. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed with a sample of 124 Social Work undergraduates. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, which included scales on safeguarding awareness, exploitation risk perception, and predictive assessment items. Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis were used to test the relationships between safeguarding awareness and exploitation risk recognition. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.62, p < 0.05) between safeguarding awareness and exploitation risk perception. Regression analysis showed that safeguarding awareness explained 38% of the variance in students' ability to recognise exploitation risks (R² = 0.38). These results underscore the importance of integrating robust safeguarding education into social work curricula and emphasise the need for policy reforms to improve orphanage governance and child protection practices in Nigeria. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by linking safeguarding education with practical competencies in identifying exploitation risks, which is crucial for improving child welfare services in Nigeria.