Thesis (MPA)--University of Limpopo, 2009. / The South African government should ensure that each and every South African has food to eat, as well as clothes and shelter. The existence of widespread poverty in South Africa led to Child Support Grants being introduced as a means of assisting in poverty alleviation programmes. The South African government has also put poverty alleviation on its priority list, yet there are many reasons that lead to poverty.The main aim of this study was to examine and describe the perceptions of grant recipients of FONDWE VILLAGE and their parents or guardians, focusing on advantages and disadvantages. The perceptions of the Social Development authorities through their agents, South African Social Security Agents (SASSA), about the impact of the grant were also examined. Data were gathered by means of structured interviews. Interviews were utilized to collect data in an effort to explore different facets of the study and to get a range of information. These interviews were used as the main method of data collection. Questions in the interview schedule were pre-tested. Some participants in a pilot group were used to test the interview guide. The researcher compiled three different interview schedules, namely: • for young mothers, (grant recipients) • for parents or guardians of grant recipient or young mothers, and • for social and welfare authorities all with interview questions. The findings show that most young mothers (recipients) know the purpose of the Child Support Grant, but are often just ignorant, careless and selfish in their use of it. The following recommendations were made: • Grant recipients should, when their children’s age next birthday is 13 years, if they are not themselves at school or in full-time employment, offer their voluntary services at public institutions situated near them until their children are no longer receiving the Child Support Grant. Such voluntary services may be offered for 3 work days in a week. The public institutions concerned can include schools, clinics, hospitals, tribal and government offices. This might also help them to acquire useful skills which might help them be more permanently employable. • Rather than giving grant recipients money which they can spend on inappropriate things, vouchers should be introduced that enable the recipients to purchase only what is needed for children • Parents or guardians should be led to see the importance of informing the Social Development authorities of any Child Support Grant abuse. They should be assured that this would not in any way disadvantage the child/children in question, but would be very much to their benefit. • Young mothers should also be encouraged to inform the Social Development Authorities of any difficulties they encounter due to their receiving the grant,such as pressure to share it with their spouses or boyfriends.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Masters of Arts in Community Work in the Department of Social Work at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2009. / This study seeks to investigate the challenges facing the recipients of child support grant with special reference to uMhlathuze District Municipality. The government in its efforts to alleviate poverty, to the previously disadvantaged and vulnerable segments of our communities introduced several poverty alleviation strategies like the Child Support Grant which replaced the Maintanance grant. The Child Support Grant has proven to be successful as it was able, according to the then Minister of Social Development, Mr Zola Skweyiya, to put about 8 million orphans and poor children in the safety net in 2008. However as successful as it may be the Child Support Grant as a strategy is fraught with administrative problems and fraudulent activities committed by the recipients of the grant themselves. The writer's findings upon conducting empirical research discovered that, recipients forge more children's birth certificates and even boast about having more babies because they command considerable cash from the grant and unemployed parents become excited when their children drop-out of school as a result of the grant benefits. Their reason was that they find it hard to cope with the cost of living as a result of the unforeseen challenges that escalate with each baby. The main aim of this study was to outline these challenges and make recommendations towards their solutions. The study also sought to answer the question of whether there were any exit programmes designed to assist the beneficiaries to support their children and cater for their needs as they grow until they reach tertiary education. The study was exploratory and purposive in nature. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of research were used. Interview schedules that were used were the questionnaires and interviews. The sample was divided into two phases. Phase one consisted of the Child support grant recipients and Phase two consisted of social workers and community development workers and two interview schedules were used respectively. The findings of this study revealed that the majority of the respondents experienced hardships in terms of property ownership, employment, education, training and skills development, emotional and financial support. Lack of basic amenities such as health care and early child development programmes and social development programmes designed to supplement the grant are all social imperatives that they have rights to, according to the Bill of rights enshrined in the Constitution. This is a challenge for government and the community at large, if the situation is not changed the situation will cost government to loose huge amounts which could be used for other projects.

A dissertation submitted in the Faculty of Education in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013. / This study examined the relationship between the Child Support Grant (CSG) and teenage pregnancy. The first objective of the study was to establish the relationship, if any, between teenage pregnancy and the Child Support Grant. The second objective was to determine whether or not the variable of educational level, religious affiliation, and location play a role in teenage pregnancy and the support grant. In order to achieve the aims of the study, the researcher constructed his own scale. The study used a quantitative methodology to establish the relationship between Child Support Grant and teenage pregnancy. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The questionnaires were distributed to fifty participants representing the total sample of the study. These questionnaires were correctly completed and were analysed using SPSS. The chi-square measure of association was used to test for the relationship between CSG and teenage pregnancy. The findings of the study indicated that teenagers differ in terms of whether there is a relationship between CSG and teenage pregnancy. Forty eight per cent of the participants were found to have a negative view on the notion that there is a relationship between CSG and teenage pregnancy, and fifty two per cent were favourably disposed. However, the difference was not statistically significant. In answering the second research question, this study revealed that variables such as educational level, location and religious affiliation did not have any influence on child support grant. This was confirmed by statistical tests performed. The limitations of the study were identified and suggestions for further research were documented.

<p><font face="Arial"> <p align="left">The findings in this study demonstrate that the Child Support Grant is only effective if it is incorporated into the household income, that recipients of the grant mainly spend it on food and in paying school fees for their children. Although the recipients share the same sentiments with regards to the amount of the grant, they all agree that it does have a positive impact on the lives of the children, especially when it is combined with the household income.</p> </font></p>

<p><font face="Arial"> <p align="left">The findings in this study demonstrate that the Child Support Grant is only effective if it is incorporated into the household income, that recipients of the grant mainly spend it on food and in paying school fees for their children. Although the recipients share the same sentiments with regards to the amount of the grant, they all agree that it does have a positive impact on the lives of the children, especially when it is combined with the household income.</p> </font></p>

Magister Administrationis - MAdmin / The findings in this study demonstrate that the Child Support Grant is only effective if it is incorporated into the household income, that recipients of the grant mainly spend it on food and in paying school fees for their children. Although the recipients share the same sentiments with regards to the amount of the grant, they all agree that it does have a positive impact on the lives of the children, especially when it is combined with the household income

Thesis ( M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2002. / The Department of Health And Welfare

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This research study addresses the effectiveness of child support grants in South Africa. It specifically asks the questions, what do social policy makers in South Africa want to achieve with the Child Support Grant (CSG) and are they achieving it? If not, how can policy makers ensure that social grants achieve the desired impact? The researcher will establish the effectiveness of the current CSG and how the CSG programme design and implementation might be improved for the CSG system to have its desired effect for children and at the family level.

Children are part of the vulnerable population and mostly affected by poverty. The main policy response to children living in poverty in South Africa is the Child Support Grant (CSG). It is payable to a needy primary caregiver of a child for the benefit of that child. The aim of the CSG is to alleviate poverty among children. Although the grant is meant to benefit children, some of the caregivers misuse the grant resulting in children living in poverty. The study explored how caregivers in Ba-Phalaborwa sub-district in Limpopo Province utilise the CSG in the best interest of children. The researcher was motivated to conduct the study due to the reported cases of misuse of the CSG. It came to the researcher s attention that many caregivers do not utilise CSG in the best interest of children. Instead, caregivers use the grant for their own needs, leaving children s needs unmet. The study adopted a qualitative approach and it was exploratory in nature. The sample of the study was drawn from a population of 27 945 recipients of the CSG in the sub-district. A non-purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 20 caregivers aged between 21 and 50 who were also the beneficiaries of poor relief. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data. The researcher conducted face-to-face individual interviews with 20 CSG recipients in Ba-Phalaborwa. The researcher also observed the participants home circumstances which further assisted her in data analysis. Thematic content analysis was used in analysing the data. The findings revealed that the CSG is mostly utilised to buy food, clothes and school necessities for children. This is a reflection that the grant does benefit children directly. Indirectly, the children benefit through contribution to burial societies with the grant. However, the findings further revealed that, there were perceptions that some recipients did not utilise the grant in the best interest of children. The misuse was through gambling and purchasing alcohol with grant. This disadvantages children. Suggestions were proposed on how those who misuse the grant can be dealt with. The suggestions included; initiating food vouchers, changing the recipient, monitoring, and punishing those who misuse the grant. In addition to the money being utilised to purchase food, clothes and school necessities for children, the findings also revealed that the participants were of the view that a slight amount of the grant need to be saved on a monthly basis so that it will help the children in future, especially when they go to tertiary institutions. However, participants complained about the inadequacy of the grant. VI Based on the research findings, it was recommended that if it is found that the recipients misuse the grant, someone should be appointed to receive the grant on behalf of the child and to use it for the benefit of that child. This should be done in collaboration with social workers and SASSA officials. Social workers should monitor the utilisation of CSG in order to ensure that the grant benefits children. Given the fact that the caseload for social workers is high, hiring other personnel (e.g. Auxiliary Social Workers) to deal specifically with the monitoring of the grant was recommended. The Auxiliary Social Workers can also assist families who are unable to manage their finances in drawing budgets with the CSG. It was further recommended that there is a need for South Africa to develop a comprehensive system of social protection which will enable caregivers to receive support in their own right. This would serve to ensure that the CSG is used specifically to meet the needs of children.

Masters of Commerce / This study investigates caregiver’s perceptions of the purposes, uses and adequacies of the Child Support Grant (CSG) in Mfuleni (Cape Town, South Africa). Moreover, the research was underpinned by the following research questions: What is the CSG intended for in South Africa? To what extent does the CSG enable caregivers to use it? What is the perception of caregivers with regards to the uses and purposes of the CSG in Mfuleni? What is the perception of caregivers regarding their power and agency to influence policy in terms of how the CSG should be structured (both in terms of benefit level and how it is administered)? A model by DFID (2011) focusing on the causal pathway for cash transfers was used as the conceptual framework for the study. Qualitative research methods were utilized to achieve the aims of the study. Ten interviews and a focus group discussion comprising six caregivers were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that caregivers understood the CSG is proposed for children, households and being a source of income for caregivers. Caregivers also revealed the CSG was utilized towards the basic needs of children. Through the CSG many caregivers had agency and power in their household and could establish small businesses.