This study is intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge relative to social protection of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). It proffers recommendations on sustainable assistance mechanisms which will ensure effective support systems for improved quality of life for OVCs. The impacts of orphanhood and other vulnerability issues on children directly challenge social protection systems and how they support the wellbeing of the children. This presents grave threat to social and economic development as well as the wellbeing of children. Child Support Grant (CSG) is one of South Africa’s largest social protection programmes targeting vulnerable children. The effectiveness of the grants in addressing the concerns of the children is greatly dependent on how it is utilised. The aim of this study is for a review of the support systems for OVCs in South Africa, within the context of social grants to determine its viability to address the challenges of vulnerability. The study is informed by empowerment framework as theoretical paradigm; which postulates that people need to be empowered through sustainable programmes that enhance their capacities to realize their full potentials and become self-sufficient. The study reviewed and appraised relevant approaches that aid empowering OVCs in order to ensure that they are supported to move from state of helplessness to an empowered state. A quantitative research method was used for the survey, data analysis and review. A case study approach was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of selected families of OVCs and community volunteers in Port St. Johns and Ndlambe local municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province. The study findings show that the CSG is relevant in the context of providing the needed support for the OVCs, which will enhance their wellbeing and development. It identified CSG as a mechanism which supports the concept of ensuring that OVCs have an adult caregiver who supports them. It shows that the CSG is able to reduce the number of OVCs without an adult caregiver. xii The study identified that many of the caregivers of the OVCs do not have other source of income and this affects their utilisation of the grant to attend to the needs of the children such as caregivers who do not support the wellbeing of the children though they receive CSG. The findings did not identify many challenges with the functioning and management of the CSG scheme. The concerns identified by the study are related to challenges of accessing the grant. The findings show that the caregivers do not encounter obstacles while applying for CSG for reasons related to the fact that some of them are being assisted. It shows that most children that are eligible but are not receiving CSG were for reasons such as caregiver not applying on time for the child or lack of documents required for the application. The study further noted that it was mostly caregivers that were not assisted during the applications process that experienced difficulties. The study observed that supporting the needed infrastructure in resource constrained environment is necessary to assist the children. Building facilities for banking, health care, and recreation as well as educational facilities such as libraries and computer centres were identified as relevant in schemes that aim to improve the quality of lives of children. The study findings revealed that hunger and deprivation could be a defining factor, which influences a child’s interest in education. It concludes that the provision of CSG to families could have strong influence in determining children’s interest in education. The study identified other support systems in the community that complement the CSG mechanism. The supports includes the assistance to process the application for CSG as well as guidance in the utilisation of the grant; after school care programme which provides opportunity for children to receive additional educational support; and material assistance for OVC families. The supports were mostly through community volunteers of organisations in the communities. These supports were found to be useful in supporting the caregivers of the OVCs to support the children.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:9064 |
| Creators | Obayi, Bennycharles A |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MA |
| Format | xvii, 107 pages, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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