Counselling Interventions in Promoting Behavioural Rehabilitation and Community Reintegration for Rescued Trafficked Children in Ghana

This study investigates the effectiveness of structured counselling interventions in promoting behavioural rehabilitation and community reintegration for rescued trafficked children in Ghana's Greater Accra Region, focusing specifically on the Kokrobite, Bortianor, and Oshiyie communities. The study employed a mixed-methods design with purposive sampling of 200 participants (aged 10-20 years) who had undergone rehabilitation programmes. This sample comprised 188 counselled children and 12 non-counselled controls, selected to provide comparative insights into intervention efficacy. Quantitative data were collected through standardised questionnaires and analysed using chi-square tests (χ²=6.31, p=0.011) and ANOVA in SPSS. In contrast, qualitative data from 15 in-depth interviews underwent thematic analysis to capture lived experiences. Key findings revealed that 64.4% of counselled participants demonstrated significant behavioural improvement compared to 16.7% of controls, with notable progress in emotional regulation, trust-building, and social adaptation. Gender analysis showed female survivors faced 3.2 times greater community stigma (95% CI [1.4, 7.1]), particularly those with histories of sexual exploitation. Thematic analysis identified culturally responsive techniques - including family-mediated therapy and local metaphor integration - as critical success factors, improving treatment adherence by 41-67%. Based on these findings, the study recommends, among other interventions: (1) institutionalising evidence-based counselling as a mandatory component of rehabilitation programs with dedicated budget allocations; (2) developing gender-specific therapeutic modules that address stigma resilience for female survivors and community reintegration strategies; and (3) implementing sustained district-level support systems including biannual psychosocial follow-ups and peer mentorship networks.