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Thesis (M.A. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The aim of the present study was to explore and describe the psychosocial experiences of secondary school learners from child-headed households in Mankweng area, Limpopo province. A qualitative research approach, specifically the phenomenological research design was used in this study. Ten grade 8 to 10 learners (male = 5; female = 5), aged between 16 and 18 years were purposively selected and requested to participate in the study. Data were collected through structured interviews. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method was used to analyse the data. The following three categories of themes were identified: a). Circumstances leading to child-headed households; b). Socioeconomic themes category; and, c). Psychosocial themes category. Each of the three categories yielded a number of themes. There were nine psychosocial category themes that emerged from the data. These among others included the following: a). Poor scholastic performance by learners from child-headed families; b). Increased levels of sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy for the girl child; and, c). Psychosocial trauma. With regard to coping strategies, the study found that girls tended to engage in risky sexual behaviour as a way to access financial support and to cope with their challenges when compared to boys who tended to engage in more positive behaviour like garden work in order to earn a living. Based on the above findings, the study recommends that learners from child-headed households should receive counselling support from school based support teams. Special consideration should be given to the orphaned girl child who is more vulnerable to psychosocial risks when compared to a boy child from a similar family background. The study further recommends that community support centres be established in order to support learners from child-headed families with after-school care, meals and recreational activities. There is also a need for community forums to be established and to prioritise the safety of their neighbourhoods in order for all children to feel appreciated and safe in their environments. The Department of Social Development should also continue to provide the support grant to learners who have reached the age of 18 who live in child-headed households as they still need care and support.

This study is centred on the phenomenon of the child headed household in Rwanda. Such households have become an increasingly common occurrence in Sub-Saharan Africa, as a result, in particular, of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This has caused millions of children to become orphaned, and has brought about new coping mechanisms. The case of Rwanda, however, differs from the majority of countries which have experienced the emergence of these households. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that its child headed households are a legacy of two major factors, that of genocide as well as HIV/AIDS. The genocide of 1994 resulted in the death of an estimated 800,000 people, and prompted mass displacement and estrangement of the majority of the population. There has been considerable interest in Rwanda‟s progress following the genocide on the part of academics, NGOs and development practitioners. Whilst some of this has focused on children and the vulnerable, the long term perspective has not been sufficiently considered. This research set out to address this by undertaking a longitudinal study over four years examining the child headed household in Rwanda. A core group of 42 households formed the sample, taken from urban, peri-urban, and rural areas and from a refugee camp. In the first place the study explores the definition of “child headed household” and offers a typology of the phenomenon. Second, it offers an analysis based on field work of the livelihood challenges to the children within these households, including the basic survival needs of land and property inheritance, income generation and education. Finally the psychosocial needs of the child headed households for acceptance and participation within communities were considered. This work considers the challenges to livelihood survival and the non-material needs of those in child headed households in Rwanda within the realities of daily life. It concludes that child headed households need to be redefined in terms of age, composition, and their particular narratives, and their variable composition is an integral characteristic. The livelihood needs of CHHs are particularly challenged by the lack of opportunities for income generation, access to land rights and changes in household life, including revisions in programmes and policies. Furthermore the non-material needs of the children in these households are often unacknowledged; their stories frequently portray a lack of family and community support, marginalisation and isolation, which contests widely held and historic understandings of family and community.

In this study the learning challenges faced by Black orphaned girl learners in the Xhariep District who head households, were explored. A literature study was undertaken to highlight the causes, magnitude and effects of child-headed households and to establish the learning challenges in general experienced by learners who head households. Important prerequisites for effective learning such as parental expectations, self-esteem, goal orientation, school attendance, positive attributions, motivation, need fulfilment, self-regulation, self-efficacy, cognitive development, parental involvement and socio-economic factors were explored. The literature review informed the conceptual framework of the study, and provided the framework for designing interview questions that were used to gain a deeper understanding of the learning challenges experienced by black girl learners who head households. By means of qualitative, phenomenological research, one-on-one interviews were conducted with a convenient sample of a purposively selected group of 10 Black girl learners at Secondary School Level who head households in the Xhariep District of the Free State Department of Education. The interpretation of the data revealed various learning challenges which are experienced by these learners due to their unfavourable circumstances as heads of households. The interview data revealed that the girls who take part in the study experience a lack of basic needs such as food and money and love and belonging. Furthermore, they experience emotional problems due to the death of their parents and the stressful situation of having the cope with numerous responsibilities at home and school. Due to the mentioned problems, the participants experience learning challenges related to irregular school attendance, difficulty in coping with and concentrating on their schoolwork, poor achievement and low self-esteem. According to the responses of the learners, it is difficult to be a child and a parent at the same time, having to account for all the responsibilities of being a learner and accomplishing the parental role. This study is concluded with recommendations to teachers on how to assist Black girl learners who head households in the Xhariep District. / MEd, Learning and Teaching, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

In this study the learning challenges faced by Black orphaned girl learners in the Xhariep District who head households, were explored. A literature study was undertaken to highlight the causes, magnitude and effects of child-headed households and to establish the learning challenges in general experienced by learners who head households. Important prerequisites for effective learning such as parental expectations, self-esteem, goal orientation, school attendance, positive attributions, motivation, need fulfilment, self-regulation, self-efficacy, cognitive development, parental involvement and socio-economic factors were explored. The literature review informed the conceptual framework of the study, and provided the framework for designing interview questions that were used to gain a deeper understanding of the learning challenges experienced by black girl learners who head households. By means of qualitative, phenomenological research, one-on-one interviews were conducted with a convenient sample of a purposively selected group of 10 Black girl learners at Secondary School Level who head households in the Xhariep District of the Free State Department of Education. The interpretation of the data revealed various learning challenges which are experienced by these learners due to their unfavourable circumstances as heads of households. The interview data revealed that the girls who take part in the study experience a lack of basic needs such as food and money and love and belonging. Furthermore, they experience emotional problems due to the death of their parents and the stressful situation of having the cope with numerous responsibilities at home and school. Due to the mentioned problems, the participants experience learning challenges related to irregular school attendance, difficulty in coping with and concentrating on their schoolwork, poor achievement and low self-esteem. According to the responses of the learners, it is difficult to be a child and a parent at the same time, having to account for all the responsibilities of being a learner and accomplishing the parental role. This study is concluded with recommendations to teachers on how to assist Black girl learners who head households in the Xhariep District. / MEd, Learning and Teaching, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The development of a moral identity has been closely linked with parental care. Within the HIV/Aids context, concern about the moral actions of South Africans inspired an investigation into the Gestalt field of Zulu child-headed households, as the lack of adequate parental care threatens the development of moral identity in these households. As substitute parents, the adolescents in the Zulu child-headed households are responsible for enhancing moral identity in their siblings while their own moral identity is still developing. Since moral identity development occurs within their field of living experience, an investigation of the field of Zulu child-headed households was conducted in order to identify the aspects that can be utilised to develop a model that will empower the heads of the Zulu child-headed households to enhance moral identity development within their households. This was based on the Gestalt theoretical paradigm. The Gestalt theory accepts that people are part of their environments or “field”, and that the meaning of existence of the individuals in the Zulu child-headed households has no meaning outside the context of their environments with which they form a unified interactive whole through their mutually interactive forces. A mixed-methods approach was used to investigate the Gestalt field of 60 adolescents in Zulu child-headed households in the Mkhondo municipal area. The exploration of the Gestalt fields of the adolescents was described in four articles and the aspects that can be used to develop the model were identified in the conclusions and recommendations section of the manuscript. The aim of the first article was to investigate the aspects of the field of Zulu child-headed households in the Mkhondo municipal area relating to their subjective reality of the kinship support and associated needs they experienced within their dual roles as members of the Zulu child-headed households and substitute parents. Perceptions of what the adolescent heads in Zulu child-headed households viewed as helping their siblings become „good people‟ were investigated in the second article. The aim of the third article was to explore whether ethnic membership is one of the core constructs in moral identity development of adolescents in Zulu child-headed households, as ethnic identity in the Zulu culture is strongly integrated with a moral identity. The fourth article investigated the figuration of moral identity in the field of these adolescents, by comparing moral variants to various other characteristics of their field. The aspects of the Gestalt field that had been identified as useful for the development of the model revolved around three main themes, namely: associated with the usefulness of the school environment; overlapping Eurocentric and Afrocentric characteristics of identity;, and helper characteristics. Recommendations were made about aspects that could enhance the practical value of policy decisions based on facilitating awareness of various aspects of moral identity development; adjustments in the life orientation curriculum; and expanding the role of support staff in schools. / Thesis (PhD (Nursing))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The development of a moral identity has been closely linked with parental care. Within the HIV/Aids context, concern about the moral actions of South Africans inspired an investigation into the Gestalt field of Zulu child-headed households, as the lack of adequate parental care threatens the development of moral identity in these households. As substitute parents, the adolescents in the Zulu child-headed households are responsible for enhancing moral identity in their siblings while their own moral identity is still developing. Since moral identity development occurs within their field of living experience, an investigation of the field of Zulu child-headed households was conducted in order to identify the aspects that can be utilised to develop a model that will empower the heads of the Zulu child-headed households to enhance moral identity development within their households. This was based on the Gestalt theoretical paradigm. The Gestalt theory accepts that people are part of their environments or “field”, and that the meaning of existence of the individuals in the Zulu child-headed households has no meaning outside the context of their environments with which they form a unified interactive whole through their mutually interactive forces. A mixed-methods approach was used to investigate the Gestalt field of 60 adolescents in Zulu child-headed households in the Mkhondo municipal area. The exploration of the Gestalt fields of the adolescents was described in four articles and the aspects that can be used to develop the model were identified in the conclusions and recommendations section of the manuscript. The aim of the first article was to investigate the aspects of the field of Zulu child-headed households in the Mkhondo municipal area relating to their subjective reality of the kinship support and associated needs they experienced within their dual roles as members of the Zulu child-headed households and substitute parents. Perceptions of what the adolescent heads in Zulu child-headed households viewed as helping their siblings become „good people‟ were investigated in the second article. The aim of the third article was to explore whether ethnic membership is one of the core constructs in moral identity development of adolescents in Zulu child-headed households, as ethnic identity in the Zulu culture is strongly integrated with a moral identity. The fourth article investigated the figuration of moral identity in the field of these adolescents, by comparing moral variants to various other characteristics of their field. The aspects of the Gestalt field that had been identified as useful for the development of the model revolved around three main themes, namely: associated with the usefulness of the school environment; overlapping Eurocentric and Afrocentric characteristics of identity;, and helper characteristics. Recommendations were made about aspects that could enhance the practical value of policy decisions based on facilitating awareness of various aspects of moral identity development; adjustments in the life orientation curriculum; and expanding the role of support staff in schools. / Thesis (PhD (Nursing))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Ce travail porte sur le processus de parentification des enfants au Burundi. Il s’inscrit dans un contexte de dislocations familiales multiformes dues à des situations de crises sociopolitiques cycliques souvent à caractère ethnique et politique. Son objectif est de comprendre comment ce processus se met en place, quels sont ses effets sur les enfants parentifiés, et quel dispositif d’accompagnement faut-il envisager. 14 enfants et adolescents âgés de 7 à 17 ans, 7 parents et 1 éducatrice dans un orphelinat ont été rencontrés, à travers essentiellement l’entretien semi-directif et le modelage pour les enfants âgés de 7 à10 ans. Les résultats de notre recherche révèlent que le processus de parentification se présente chez les enfants burundais sous trois aspects principaux : l’exercice de l’autorité parentale, le maternage et le soutien affectif au parent fragilisé. Les enfants parentifiés assument beaucoup de responsabilités qui dépassent leur niveau de développement physique et psychique. Ces multiples responsabilités les empêchent d’avoir le temps de s’amuser comme les autres enfants, mais aussi les empêchent d’avoir de bons résultats scolaires. La parentification des adolescents dits « chefs de ménages » correspond à une sorte de résilience pour pouvoir survivre. Pour y arriver, ils disposent des ressources notamment les images, les paroles, les souhaits hérités des parents constituent des éléments d’étayage sur lesquels ces adolescents s’appuient pour pouvoir prendre en charge leurs fratries. Nos analyses qualitatives montrent que les enfants parentifiés exercent une parentalité précoce. Ils occupent une place parentale sans y être préparés et n’ont pas pu vivre tout ce qu’un enfant peut vivre. / This work concerns the process of parentification of Burundian children. It occurs in a context of family breakdown due to varied situations following the recurring sociopolitical crises mostly with ethnic and political backgrounds. The thesis aims at understanding how the process takes place, what are its effects on parentified children and which kind of support mechanism could be of some help to them. 14 children and adolescents aged 7 to 17, 7 parents and 1 orphanage educator were met, trough essentially the semi-structured interview and the modeling for children 7- 10 years- old. The results of our research reveal that the parentification process for Burundian children is experienced in three ways: exercising parental authority, carering for other children, and providing affective support for frail parents. Parentified children assume many responsibilities that are beyond their age and their level of physical and psychological development. These multiple responsibilities prevent them from having time to care for themselves as children, but also lead to their school education failure. Parentification for so-called “heads of households” teenagers constitutes a resilience mechanism for survival. To achieve this, they resort to different resources, including images, words and wishes inherited from their late parents which provide them with the strength to raise their siblings. Our qualitative analyzes show that parentified children experience early parenthood. They assume a parental position for which they are not prepared but also they miss their own childhood.

This thesis focuses on children who have lost both parents and are currently living on their own as child headed households (CHHs) in a rural community in Zimbabwe. Children heading households and taking care of siblings is a very “un-childlike” behaviour yet these are growing phenomena. Through an exploration of how CHHs are constituted and evolve the thesis aims to examine whether local constructions of childhood are being (re) conceptualised as a result of Zimbabwe’s escalating HIV/AIDS crisis. In particular it examines whether the socialisation of children within ‘child only’ units is leading to social transformation and/or whether children are in some way attempting to mimic ‘normal’ family/gender relations. It also looks at CHH’s interactions with adults and explores how these affect survival strategies, socialisation and conceptualisations of childhood. This thesis draws on an intensive ethnographic research project with five CHHs and their siblings in a rural community in Zimbabwe. Participant observation, narratives, drama, essays, focus groups, conversations and participatory techniques were employed to gain an in-depth insight into household evolution, the socialisation of family members, gender roles and survival strategies. The thesis shows that while children living in CHHs are vulnerable, they exhibited considerable competence and capabilities to sustain themselves. However, state and non-governmental organisations’ definition of childhood and orphanhood on the other hand, and cultural and local understanding of childhood and orphanhood produce new conceptual struggles of childhood that impacts negatively on the CHHs’ integration into society and their capacity to function fully. The ambivalent position of orphaned children in CHHs needs to be addressed if CHHs are to be recognised as an alternative orphan care arrangement.

This dissertation studies poverty and the economics of child-headed and grandmother-headed households in Sebokeng. The study takes interest in five main areas, namely, poverty, unemployment, child and grandmother-headed households, the state of poverty and unemployment in Sebokeng as well as the living conditions of child and grandmother-headed households in Sebokeng. The approach in this dissertation was to define and measure poverty and unemployment and to determine the poor population of Sebokeng. This was done by making use of household level indicators. Poverty was measured by employing the following indicators: the Household Subsistence level (HSL) as poverty line, the head count index, the poverty gap and the dependency ratio. A comparison was done between Sebokeng and Bophelong. Sebokeng has a higher level of poverty (85%) than that of Bophelong (67%) while the unemployment rates (27%) is lower than that of Bophelong (31%). Most indicators (level of education, income, expenditure) prove that Bophelong is better off compared to Sebokeng. This dissertation takes further interest in comparing child and grandmother-headed households to “normal” households in Sebokeng. The study found that the main source of income for child-headed households is foster and child support grants (54%) while pension grants serve as the main source of income for both grandmother-headed households and “normal” households (65%).The study therefore proves that child-headed households are worse off financially and otherwise in comparison to grandmother-headed and “normal” households. If more social worker assistance was available to these orphans in the form of assistance with the application for identity documents and birth certificates at the Department of Home Affairs, these orphans would not be as worse-off as was found in this study. The dissertation concludes that the depth of poverty in child-headed households is thus greater than that of grandmother-headed and “normal” households, and it recommends that government should take further steps to reduce the unemployment rate by paying attention to the preferred skills of the population of Poverty and the economics of child and grandmother-headed households in Sebokeng. Sebokeng by offering training to enhance those skills. Food gardening projects should be organised so that the poor can sustain themselves and earn an income in the process. The dissertation also recommends that government should take more interest in improving the lives of these orphans by encouraging them to go to school and in obtaining identity documents. This can be possible through the assistance of social workers as these two elements can open many doors to a better life for these orphans. / Thesis (M.Com. (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011