Abstract: Child abuse is a global problem. Community-based Child Protection Structures, which are one of the strategies to deal with this problem, have been riddled with challenges like poor enforcement. The study aimed at assessing community-based child protection structures in Mukuru Kwa Njenga informal settlements in Nairobi County. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. A sample size of 280 participants was selected using both purposive sampling and random sampling techniques. Qualitative data was analysed and presented verbatim as narrations. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were carried out. These were presented in tables and graphs. The study revealed that more than four-fifths, 81%, of the respondents had witnessed child maltreatment in Mukuru Kwa Njenga. However, many of the child abuse cases were not reported and or acted upon as new ways had been put in place to avoid different child abuse cases being detected and acted on. Several reasons were advanced for the non-action on child abuse. Some of the respondents indicated that people resorted to other means of dealing with the problem of child abuse. Others did not bother to report, for they felt nothing would be done. There was also the fear of revenge from the family of the perpetrator. The study recommends that the government should strengthen existing policies that advocate for appropriate child protection and enhance community participation to improve the effective implementation of CBCPSs.

Abstract: The study was designed to investigate the role of community-based informal approaches in child protection in Mwingi Central Sub County, Kitui County. In order to address the above-stated objective, the study adopted a transformative worldview with an emphasis on mixed methods research design. The study used both probability and non-probability sampling methods, and 2 divisions, 5 locations, and 24 villages were chosen for the study using simple random sampling. Data was collected from a sample of 399 adult members of the households using questionnaires; 24 children aged 12-17 years (both in and out of school) through in-depth interviews’; and from 10 key informants. The study was guided by the systems theory and the collected data was analyzed through thematic content analysis descriptive statistics which involved the use of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. The study results revealed that members of the community were more familiar with and preferred the use of community-based child protection approaches than the formal government child protection units. The study recommends that child protection practitioners should strive to close the gap between the formal and informal community-based child protection approaches to ensure that there is a cohesive approach to child protection.