In Ghana during 1998 the Children's Act passed into law. This legislation was imitative of Britain's 1989 Children Act, to which it bears a close resemblance. However, due to the very different socio-economic and cultural context of Ghana, implementation of the 1998 Children's Act is problematic. This paper examines the similarity in the provisions between the British and Ghanaian Acts and explores the social, economic and cultural factors most immediately impacting on child welfare in Ghana. Consideration is then given to the criticisms of African scholars in relation to rights based approaches to intervention. Finally, alternative courses of action to protect children and maintain their welfare are considered which are more consonant with the specific socio-economic and cultural setting of Ghana.