Adolescent pregnancy has been a global phenomenon of great concern for a considerable time. Adolescent pregnancy and parenting can lead to negative consequences for both adolescents and their infants in health, psychological, developmental and educational spheres. In South Africa recent media reporting has pointed out that adolescent pregnancy at times culminates in infant abandonment. Adolescence is a difficult transition period and the added stress of pregnancy and parenting creates specific challenges. Adolescent parents’ conflicting roles as adolescents, striving for independence, and as parents, who have to care for their children in a selfless manner, have been shown to complicate their lives significantly. Research has indicated that adolescent pregnancy mostly occurs in resource-poor, black, rural, or semi-rural communities. Support for pregnant and parenting adolescents in such communities seems to be minimal, and research on experiences of adolescent pregnancy and parenting in the South African context is scant. Therefore the aim of this study was to explore late adolescents’ (18-22) experiences of their pregnancy and parenting during early adolescence (12-18). The research context was a resource-poor community, namely Sir Lowry’s Pass Village in the Helderberg basin in the Western Cape. The researcher wanted to shed light on the particular challenges and strengths of participants, to inform practice and make suggestions so as to promote support for such parents. From the findings of this study it became clear that participants found adolescent pregnancy and parenting to be a challenging experience. They made mention of various factors complicating their experience of pregnancy and parenting, such as their socio-economic circumstances; stigma experienced from the community, family, peers, and educational and health-related systems; loss and sacrifices; lack of support; and feelings of powerlessness. They felt overwhelmed by their parenting experiences as a result of lack of parenting skills, and the fact that their parental rights were often not respected. However, pregnancy and parenting were also viewed as positive and inspiring in that adolescent parents viewed their children as a source of comfort. Furthermore, they indicated that parenting was more manageable with support, and that becoming parents rendered them more responsible individuals. These findings concur with prior research on adolescent pregnancy and parenting. This study adds value to the field of adolescent pregnancy and parenting in that prior findings were corroborated, and that an adolescent father’s perspective was included. Research on adolescent fathers in the South African context is limited. This study provides a clearer understanding of pregnant and parenting adolescents’ needs and what they find supportive, which could assist health care professionals, welfare organisations, schools, and significant others in supporting them more adequately. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Adolescent pregnancy has been a global phenomenon of great concern for a considerable time. Adolescent pregnancy and parenting can lead to negative consequences for both adolescents and their infants in health, psychological, developmental and educational spheres. In South Africa recent media reporting has pointed out that adolescent pregnancy at times culminates in infant abandonment. Adolescence is a difficult transition period and the added stress of pregnancy and parenting creates specific challenges. Adolescent parents’ conflicting roles as adolescents, striving for independence, and as parents, who have to care for their children in a selfless manner, have been shown to complicate their lives significantly. Research has indicated that adolescent pregnancy mostly occurs in resource-poor, black, rural, or semi-rural communities. Support for pregnant and parenting adolescents in such communities seems to be minimal, and research on experiences of adolescent pregnancy and parenting in the South African context is scant. Therefore the aim of this study was to explore late adolescents’ (18-22) experiences of their pregnancy and parenting during early adolescence (12-18). The research context was a resource-poor community, namely Sir Lowry’s Pass Village in the Helderberg basin in the Western Cape. The researcher wanted to shed light on the particular challenges and strengths of participants, to inform practice and make suggestions so as to promote support for such parents. From the findings of this study it became clear that participants found adolescent pregnancy and parenting to be a challenging experience. They made mention of various factors complicating their experience of pregnancy and parenting, such as their socio-economic circumstances; stigma experienced from the community, family, peers, and educational and health-related systems; loss and sacrifices; lack of support; and feelings of powerlessness. They felt overwhelmed by their parenting experiences as a result of lack of parenting skills, and the fact that their parental rights were often not respected. However, pregnancy and parenting were also viewed as positive and inspiring in that adolescent parents viewed their children as a source of comfort. Furthermore, they indicated that parenting was more manageable with support, and that becoming parents rendered them more responsible individuals. These findings concur with prior research on adolescent pregnancy and parenting. This study adds value to the field of adolescent pregnancy and parenting in that prior findings were corroborated, and that an adolescent father’s perspective was included. Research on adolescent fathers in the South African context is limited. This study provides a clearer understanding of pregnant and parenting adolescents’ needs and what they find supportive, which could assist health care professionals, welfare organisations, schools, and significant others in supporting them more adequately. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The high levels of early and unintended pregnancy among adolescents in African countries including Lesotho are attributed to various factors. These include inaccessibility, negative and unfavourable community attitude towards adolescent contraceptive uptake and use, poor knowledge of sexual and reproductive health issues including sexuality education, high levels of poverty and vulnerability, negative socio-cultural practices such as child marriage, and increasing sexual and gender-based violence. Adolescent pregnancy and parenting are usually associated with poor health, social exclusion, and stigma, leading to girls’ suspension and sometimes expulsion from school. Most African governments have adopted laws and developed policies protecting the rights of all children, including adolescents’ rights to enrol and be retained in school. These rights are to be always protected, including during pregnancy and motherhood. Aiming to explore the challenges in implementing policies and guidelines on school re-entry, this dissertation argues that despite the constitutional, legal and policy provisions to protect pregnant and parenting adolescent girls, punitive and discriminatory strategies against them undermine countries’ human rights commitments. Using the socio-legal approach, the study attributes the legal, policy and strategy implementation challenges, especially those on sexual and reproductive health and education to influences of family, societal, religious and cultural beliefs and practices. It proposes more comprehensive, innovative, gender transformative, targeted and rights-based interventions; and supportive policies and strategies to facilitate continuous awareness creation, social and attitudinal change, and social justice to address adolescents’ specific needs and justify the state’s obligations and legal duties to respect, protect and fulfil citizen’s rights in Lesotho. / Mini Dissertation (MPhil (Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Africa))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Centre for Human Rights / MPhil (Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Africa) / Unrestricted

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This study employed qualitative research methodology informed by the grounded theory tradition to explore good practice and optimal services for young people presenting with complex care needs associated with challenging or high risk behaviour. In-depth interviews were conducted in three waves of data collection and analysis with fourteen experienced practitioners whose careers have included sustained periods of work with this group in a number of selected Victorian service systems. The principal vantage point was the interface between the supported accommodation and assistance programs for homeless young people, statutory child protection and care, placement and support programs for young people at risk and juvenile justice programs for young offenders. The nature of the problem necessarily included some consideration of mental health and services dealing with substance abuse. The findings propose a view of good practice giving emphasis to the accessible and assertive presence of a responsible adult to �be there� fostering relationships and skilled purposive intervention. Intervention should be planned, holistic, sensitive and responsive to particular needs. It provides active unconditional care. It attends to attachment and trauma concerns and works with short run goals and a long term perspective. Intervention is sustained until constructive disengagement can occur. The complexity and challenge in the task of helping hurt youth warrants the support, strength and guidance of a multi-skilled team. Ideally the team will be described using normative terms. Optimal services are timely, congruent, seamless and robust in capacity to nurture, establish boundaries and meet developmental and therapeutic requirements. They should be connected to a community and there for as long as it takes, with ready access to suitable accommodation, purchasing power and flexibility of operation. To the greatest extent possible solutions are generated in the place where help is sought. Voluntary service commitment lasts till personal capacity and natural networks take over.

This study employed qualitative research methodology informed by the grounded theory tradition to explore good practice and optimal services for young people presenting with complex care needs associated with challenging or high risk behaviour. In-depth interviews were conducted in three waves of data collection and analysis with fourteen experienced practitioners whose careers have included sustained periods of work with this group in a number of selected Victorian service systems. The principal vantage point was the interface between the supported accommodation and assistance programs for homeless young people, statutory child protection and care, placement and support programs for young people at risk and juvenile justice programs for young offenders. The nature of the problem necessarily included some consideration of mental health and services dealing with substance abuse. The findings propose a view of good practice giving emphasis to the accessible and assertive presence of a responsible adult to �be there� fostering relationships and skilled purposive intervention. Intervention should be planned, holistic, sensitive and responsive to particular needs. It provides active unconditional care. It attends to attachment and trauma concerns and works with short run goals and a long term perspective. Intervention is sustained until constructive disengagement can occur. The complexity and challenge in the task of helping hurt youth warrants the support, strength and guidance of a multi-skilled team. Ideally the team will be described using normative terms. Optimal services are timely, congruent, seamless and robust in capacity to nurture, establish boundaries and meet developmental and therapeutic requirements. They should be connected to a community and there for as long as it takes, with ready access to suitable accommodation, purchasing power and flexibility of operation. To the greatest extent possible solutions are generated in the place where help is sought. Voluntary service commitment lasts till personal capacity and natural networks take over.

The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a psycho-educational programme to enhance the efficacy of parents of adolescents. Thus, the research project can be identified as formative, evaluative research. To this end, an investigation was undertaken to determine how the efficacy of parents of adolescents could be enhanced through an understanding of: * the life phase of adolescence; * the life phase of parents of adolescents; * the role of parents of adolescents; * factors influencing the parenting of adolescents (e.g., generational effects and the influence of family structure on parenting); * the challenges facing adolescents and their parents which may hamper parenting efficacy; * factors which assist parents of adolescents to overcome challenges and improve their parenting efficacy; * parenting skills which foster parenting efficacy; and * the nature of a psycho-educational programme which could enhance the efficacy of parents of adolescents. A literature study provided the theoretical background to the development of the above mentioned programme. In the next phase of the study, a psycho-educational programme was developed based on the literature review, a study of similar programmes and a pilot study conducted with parents. The programme aimed at helping parents to become aware of their parenting practices, to encourage them to increase knowledge and understanding of themselves and of their adolescent children and to develop personal strategies and skills to cope with parenting challenges. The programme was implemented with a group of 21 parents of adolescents (five fathers and sixteen mothers) living in George, South Africa during sessions held once per week over a period of six weeks. Participants were divided into three groups: six single parents; eight parents of nuclear families; and seven parents from blended-extended families. Data was collected qualitatively during each meeting. In addition, focus groups were conducted at the end of the six weeks. The findings indicated that the programme enhanced the efficacy of the participating parents in supporting the development of their adolescent children. / Educational Studies / D.Ed (Psychology of Education)

The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a psycho-educational programme to enhance the efficacy of parents of adolescents. Thus, the research project can be identified as formative, evaluative research. To this end, an investigation was undertaken to determine how the efficacy of parents of adolescents could be enhanced through an understanding of: * the life phase of adolescence; * the life phase of parents of adolescents; * the role of parents of adolescents; * factors influencing the parenting of adolescents (e.g., generational effects and the influence of family structure on parenting); * the challenges facing adolescents and their parents which may hamper parenting efficacy; * factors which assist parents of adolescents to overcome challenges and improve their parenting efficacy; * parenting skills which foster parenting efficacy; and * the nature of a psycho-educational programme which could enhance the efficacy of parents of adolescents. A literature study provided the theoretical background to the development of the above mentioned programme. In the next phase of the study, a psycho-educational programme was developed based on the literature review, a study of similar programmes and a pilot study conducted with parents. The programme aimed at helping parents to become aware of their parenting practices, to encourage them to increase knowledge and understanding of themselves and of their adolescent children and to develop personal strategies and skills to cope with parenting challenges. The programme was implemented with a group of 21 parents of adolescents (five fathers and sixteen mothers) living in George, South Africa during sessions held once per week over a period of six weeks. Participants were divided into three groups: six single parents; eight parents of nuclear families; and seven parents from blended-extended families. Data was collected qualitatively during each meeting. In addition, focus groups were conducted at the end of the six weeks. The findings indicated that the programme enhanced the efficacy of the participating parents in supporting the development of their adolescent children. / Educational Studies / D.Ed (Psychology of Education)