‘I came home from work and found my son with blood stains on his shirt and scratch marks on his back. My house help had beaten him with a hanger because in the morning I had scolded him for something he did wrong’- Banker in Lagos.

This is the recount of a mother of a six (6) year old boy. Her story is not dissimilar to many cases which involve the maltreatment of children put in the care of domestic workers. However, the story does not provide some relevant information. The domestic worker in this case was 16 years old, his employment as a domestic worker is therefore considered illegal under the Nigerian Child Act which prohibits the employment of underage workers (10 - 18years of age). The mother also did not have any background information of the house help. His background, family history, education, religious and cultural history could not be verified from a secondary source. This situation shows the precarious nature of domestic staff placement in Nigeria and the need for families to ensure proper checks prior to hiring domestic workers.

Given the busy schedules of most 21st century couples, domestic staffing has become a priority rather than a luxury. The demand for reliable, safe and qualified nannies and/or domestic staff far outstrips its supply, resulting in increased wages and the reliance of underage domestic workers to fill the gap.

The Child Welfare League of Nigeria suggests that Nigeria may have the largest number of child domestic workers in the world in 2012. This statistic is based on the numerous underage workers serving as domestic staff in households. Research also suggests that under aged domestic workers suffer from physical, emotional and even sexual abuse.

The duties of the underage domestic staff ranges from cooking, cleaning to child care which they are mostly unqualified to provide. However their proliferation is based on the comparatively‘cheap’ wages offered in return for the services rendered. In 2008, according theTimes, the Nigerian police stumbled on 64 girls aged 14 and younger packed inside a refrigerated truck built to haul frozen fish. They had traveled hundreds of miles from central Nigeria and were destined for work as housemaids in Lagos.

The inconvenient and distasteful nature of their travelling conditions aside, one must also consider how many girls are shuffled between states lines in such (possibly) worse conditions? This is especially worrisome as the exploitation and/or movement of these girls are not closely monitored. Therefore there is little evidence to demonstrate that they have been transported willfully and with the consent of their parents or guardians. More worrying is what happens after these girls either run-away or are sacked by their employer. What guarantee is there that they are returned to their homes, parents or loved ones?

Off course one must also consider the economic conditions of underage workers and their family, as in some cases the wages of domestic work is used to support families back in the village. However this should not afford us the opportunity to abscond our duties and the realities of underage working in Nigeria.

SAFE HANDS HOME CARE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES has worked within the domestic staffing industry for three (3) years. Our experience with domestic staff placement has provided the opportunity to understand the importance of thoroughness in background checks for each placement. Such background checks help to ascertain previous history (employment, family etc) as well as ensuring that placements meet with the lifestyle requirements of our clients. Our background,medical checks also ensure the safety of the children placed under the care of domestic staff (as well as protection for the domestic staff from abusive clients) and provide verifiable information for both the current and future clients of such staff.

Our placement procedures also ensure full compliance with the 2003 Nigerian Child Act, which prohibits underage employment of domestic staff. Asides from the above measures, our placement procedures also prioritize the following;

1. Security
2. Knowledge
3. Trust
4. Integrity
5. Dependability

Our placement procedures put us at the forefront of domestic staff recruitment and placement in Nigeria. Our bespoke placement services provide our clients with excellent standards, safety and resultant peace of mind. But our aim goes far beyond the satisfaction of clients, we hope our placement procedures will ultimately become best practice in Nigeria, ensuring compliance with child trafficking laws and safety for our young people.