Caregiving: Ghana’s missing workforce crisis

One humid afternoon in Accra, Akua struggled to lift her 15-year-old daughter from a wheelchair onto bed. Her aging mother, who usually helps, was too exhausted to move. 

As Akua wiped the sweat from her brow, she whispered: “I am doing my best to cope, but I cannot do this alone.” That moment captures the silent crisis facing thousands of Ghanaian families raising children with disabilities: the absence of a reliable caregiving workforce. 

Caregiving in Ghana is not just a private struggle; it is a missing workforce undermining our labour market. Parents are stretched to a breaking point, while thousands of unemployed youths remain idle. By professionalising caregiving, Ghana could simultaneously ease family burdens and unlock a new pathway for youth employment. 

Families on the Brink 

Akua’s story is echoed by Akosua, a mother of a daughter with a cerebral palsy. She, also, is searching for a caregiver. Her daughter, unable to fit into the formal school system, is now being homeschooled. Akosua hopes to homeschool her child with professional support. 

Across Ghana, parents of children with disabilities are caught in a relentless cycle, forced to rely on untrained caregivers who often exploit families, neglect duties, or demand exorbitant pay. 

For many, caregiving is not a private family failure but a systemic gap: a missing workforce. 

Exploitation in the Caregiving Space 

Families complain that caregivers often act as though they are doing households a favour,; some caregivers enjoy full access to homes, meals and even medical care. Yet many fail to meet expectations. 

In some cases, caregivers are Senior High School graduates with no specialised training but rather learning on the job at the expense of the vulnerable children. 

This informality leaves families exposed. Caregiving remains feminised, underpaid and culturally invisible, making it unattractive to the youth, and unsustainable for households. 

Parents pay entirely out of their own pockets, with no subsidies or state support, even as they shoulder immense financial and emotional costs. 

Youth Unemployment: A Missed Opportunity 

Despite the great number of the Ghanaian youth who graduate from second and tertiary institution each year, data available indicate that more than half of the numbers, qualified to work fail to secure stable employment. 

The youth unemployment rate, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (2025 Labour Force Data), stands at 32–34% among those aged 15–24, with over 1.3 million young Ghanaians idle neither in education, employment, nor training (NEET). This crisis is not just about wasted potential; it is about untapped opportunity. 

Caregiving could serve as a structured employment pipeline for young people, offering dignified work while addressing critical social needs. By professionalizing caregiving, Ghana could absorb thousands of unemployed youth into meaningful roles. 

Policy Pathways for Professional Caregiving 

The solution lies in reframing caregiving as decent, skilled labour. Government-backed pathways could include formal training and certification for non-family caregivers, public campaigns to position caregiving as dignified professional work, and subsidies or incentives for families employing caregivers. 

There is also a need to integrate caregiving into youth employment schemes, aligning it with national labour strategies. 

Such measures would not only support families but also create jobs, reduce exploitation, and stabilize disability care. Caregiving should be recognised as part of Ghana’s care economy—not a sympathy appeal, but a sector with economic and social value. 

Conclusion 

Caregiving is Ghana’s missing workforce. By professionalising it, the government can tackle two crises at once: the overwhelming burden on families of persons with disabilities and the staggering youth unemployment rate. 

The time has come to treat caregiving not as charity, but as labour—labour that deserves dignity, structure and recognition. 

If Ghana is serious about building an inclusive economy, then caregiving must move from the shadows into the spotlight. 

Source: GNA