Michael Issahaku

Michael Issahaku is a doctoral student in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His research interests focus on child and family well-being, child protection, caregiver experiences, disability and inclusion, and community-based approaches to addressing social inequalities. His work seeks to understand how trauma, poverty, and social exclusion shape the lives of vulnerable children and families, particularly in low-resource settings.

Michael’s research experience includes examining the experiences of caregivers raising children with autism in Ghana and investigating the self-esteem and well-being of adolescents living in residential care. He has also contributed to several research projects related to child trafficking prevention, food security, neurological disorders, and the gendered impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war. In addition to his research, Michael has served as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant at the University of Ghana, where he supported teaching and research in social work and mentored undergraduate students.

Education:

• MPhil, Social Work, University of Ghana, 2025
• Semester Exchange Program (MPhil in Social Work), University of Siegen, Germany, 2025
• BA, Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2020

Research Interests:

• Child and family well-being
• Child protection, maltreatment, and trauma
• Caregiver experiences and disability inclusion
• Community-based interventions and social welfare policy
• Mental health, resilience, and social inequalities
• Social justice and community development