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Leaving a familiar environment can be daunting. Although previous studies investigated the experiences of youths who left care centres, few considered those who left during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this exploratory qualitative research study, the authors purposively recruited 12 African youths aged between 18 and 23, with at least two years’ experience of life in the care centres of Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality to investigate their experiences when they left such centres during the pandemic.
The data were collected through individual semistructured interviews, analysed according to…
The long-term consequences of COVID-19 have been tough for children around the world, but even more so for young children already in humanitarian crises, whether due to conflict, natural disasters, or economic and political upheaval. Young Children in Humanitarian and COVID-19 Crises: (2024), edited by Sweta Shah and Lucy Bassett, investigates how organizations around the world responded to these dual challenges, identifying solutions and learning opportunities to help to support young children in ongoing and future crises. Drawing on research and voices from the Global South…
Abstract:
The Coronavirus (COVID−19) pandemic has increased anxiety and stress among childcare workers in many communities. This has given rise to the question of whether childcare workers have the capabilities to execute their operational responsibilities effectively during this period in ensuring that the children are well taken care of.
The theory of crisis was used in the study to explore the resilience of childcare workers in managing the well-being of vulnerable orphans during this period. A qualitative approach was applied, using focus group interviews involving 10…
Orphans and vulnerable children in children’s homes are exposed to multiple psychosocial risks. This study aimed to explore the risks facing orphans and vulnerable children in a children’s home in a township setting during COVID-19. Fifty-eight female Black African children (n = 58) in a children’s home were individually interviewed to ascertain the psychosocial risks that they experienced during COVID-19. The participants were orphans and vulnerable children residing in a children’s home located in Johannesburg in South Africa. All children were enrolled in either primary…
Key lessons learnt on how to carry out effective care reform in Eastern and Southern Africa from the COVID 19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic posed a fundamental threat to the care of children in Eastern and Southern Africa. It exacerbated many causes of separation and violence in families and placed a huge strain on services that aim to improve children’s care. Responding to these challenges also led to rapid adaptation, innovation, and learning. In this paper, we document lessons learnt on care reform that emerged from the pandemic.
The paper is accompanied by…
The video provides key lessons learnt from COVID-19 on care reform from interviews with UNICEF, government and NGO staff in Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi and Kenya. The video focuses on the following areas.
- Including care reform in emergency preparedness and response
- Understanding and demonstrating the impact of a rapidly changing context on care
- Remote support to care reform
- The vital role of community volunteers
- The importance of proper reintegration processes and support
This sixteenth issue of the South African Child Gauge focuses attention on child and adolescent mental health and how early experiences of adversity ripple out across the life course and generations at great cost to individuals and society. It calls on South African society to put children at the centre of all policies in order to protect children from harm, build their capacity to cope with stress and adversity, and provide them with opportunities to thrive.
This 16th annual review of the situation of the country’s children is published by the Children’s Institute (CI…
In contexts where poverty and mental health stressors already interact to negatively impact the most vulnerable populations, COVID-19 is likely to have worsened these impacts. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa already faced intersecting mental health stressors and vulnerabilities. It is critical to understand how additional challenges brought on by COVID-19 have intersected with existing vulnerabilities and mental health risks AGYW faced, particularly given the intersections between psychological distress and increased risk behaviours that…
These presentations from UNICEF and Alternative Care Thailand were delivered during the July 9, 2021, workshop of the Care Measurement Task Force of the Transforming Children's Care Global Collaborative Platform. The focus of the workshop was on care measurement initiatives in Eastern and Southern Africa and Thailand.
Abstract
Background
COVID-19 has become a worldwide pandemic impacting child protection services (CPSs) in many countries. With quarantine and social distancing restrictions, school closures, and recreational venues suspended or providing reduced access, the social safety net for violence prevention has been disrupted significantly. Impacts include the concerns of underreporting and increased risk of child abuse and neglect, as well as challenges in operating CPSs and keeping their workforce safe.
Objective
The current discussion paper explored the impact of COVID-19 on child…